RaC Nightmares Series: Nightmares of the Past
by Emile The Watcher
Summary: A dark shadow from Ratchet and Clank's long forgotten past has teamed up with a more recent one to wreak their evil upon the Galaxy once more. While something else entirely eats at Ratchet Set up shortly after Ratchet Deadlocked. Read and Review please XP
1. Foreword, and Foreshadowing

_**ForeWord: This happens to be my first fanfic and serious attempt at writing something, so forgive me for mistakes I may make. So a Bit of Foreground is required. First off, I'm setting this up as so. This is going off about a month after the Dreadzone takedown. Also knows as Ratchet Deadlocked. In my story Ratchet and Sasha are still interested in each other, but before either of them could admit their true feelings Ratchet got abducted for DreadZone. instead of that visiting Aquatos Stuff at the end of Deadlocked. I'm having it so that Ratchet Had Al and the Others drop him off on Veldin with Clank, where he has stayed out of contact. He also asked the others not to tell them that he was back. And that's pretty much it Ratchet has been laying low on Veldin enjoying his time away from the world and fixing things up at his house, which still needed some work after Dr. Nefarious had his little army destroy it. alright enough of the foreword enjoy the story.**_

_**Legal Stuff: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its Characters. They belong to Insomniac, only thing I own is the Story Idea**_

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Eight months ago. Somewhere on the edge of the Solona Galaxy a Sizable hunk of Rock floats around with two figures on it. One can be heard yelling at the other.

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"LAWRENCE" Dr. Nefarious yelled for what have must have been the fifth time in the last hour.

"What is it now sir?" Lawrence asked.

"Why are you still wearing that STUPID outfit?"

"Because I have nothing else to wear, there's not exactly a closet around here" Lawrence replied for the fifth time in that same hour.

They had long ago ran out of things to talk or yell about. So, it had come down to the same thing over and over again.

"Wait...Whats that?" Nefarious asked pointing at a small hard to see black object spinning in the dark void of space. "Can you bring it here Lawrence?"

Lawrence judged the distance "I believe so sir"

With a sudden flash the black object appeared on their rock. upon further examination they discover that it was an escape pod of some sort, from a robot too.

"Lawrence, there's something inside. Can you get it open?"

Lawrence looked at the pod. "I can sir but I don't think that would be wise."

"And why not?" Asked Dr. Nefarious

"Because I will die you simpleton"

As Dr. Nefarious jumped back from the pod, a face appeared near the viewscreen.

As the Blarg face moved closer the two Villains could make out some details.

As he made his way closer to the view screen Drek could tell that his face was having an effect on the two robots outside.

_"And why shouldn't it" _He thought to himself. "_I may have been able to escape the planet before that miserable rodent blew it up. but...just the flash of the exploding planet by itself...I still remember the bright flash...the scorching pain...the weeks of agony that followed...and the realization that part of my face had been flashed burned to the point of bone showing...an ugly scar at that too...I swear I'll make that Lombax pay...he will" _Drek returned his attention to the two robots outside his pod.

Putting the tone that helped him so much as a Supreme Executive into action he turned on the pods communication system again. "So...uh...Gentlemen, What brings you to this lonely part of the galaxy?"

Dr. Nefarious launched into a small rant. "A miserable rodent named Ratchet, He messed up my plans to turn everybody into robots and stranded me on this god-forsaken rock. If we ever get off this rock I vow that he will pay."

Inside the pod, Drek had stilled_ "Can...it...really be? Could this robot be talking about Ratchet?" _He thought to himself, the small gleams of a plan taking root in his mind. He waited for a moment before turning the communications system back on and interrupting the blue one.

"Ratchet?...Lombax?...Carries a little robot around on his back named Clank?"

Dr. Nefarious froze mid rant "What do you know about that lombax, squishie?" he asked with a glare. He waved his hands at the pod"Why do you care anyway? Lawrence get this thing out of here"

Drek acted fast looking at Nefarious "Because, he did the same thing to me that he did to you. Why do you think I'm in this escape pod? That miserable lombax cost me everything. My life, My money," Drek snapped for a moment and pounded the viewscreen. "My FACE"

After he calmed down he looked back out to Nefarious. "Now, I don't know who you are, Nor do I care right now. What I do care about is if you can fix a booster engine?"

Nefarious studied him for a moment. "Yes, but I don't see how that helps us, were still out here in the middle of nowhere."

Drek grinned "Because, this pod has a thruster that was damaged when I ejected. If you can fix it, we can get out of here and, quite possibly, our revenge on the Lombax that put us in this fowl straight."

Nefarous thought about it for a few long moments, he could always betray and kill the Squishie later...

"Deal, Mr...?"

"Drek"

"I'm Dr. Nefarious, and this is Lawrence. We will fix your booster, then together we shall defeat that lombax that did this to us and wreak our revenge on the galaxy"

Drek smiled to himself, this fool was even easier to fool then he thought. "I do like the sound of that, I do indeed"

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_**Well, if you see this, congrats, you stumbled upon, or figured out what the Restoration project is. If you're a new reader to this, no worries, the story doesn't change, in fact, I'm pretty sure it gets better, considering, I'm going through my notes and adding things that didn't get put in before, plus the changes to my writing style. Also trying to make it a bit easier to read too. Anyway, Enjoy the story, new and old readers alike, and I welcome you to the epic tale that is Nightmares of the Past, the fic that launched the Trilogy, and now serves as the Backbone for Earth Bound. Sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy you're reading.**_

_**Peace,**_

**_Emile._**


	2. The Hidden Hero

**_AuthorsNote: Well we arrive at the start of the next chapter, I won't say much and let you get right into it._**

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**Present time, Veldin, Kyzil Plateau. Ratchets house**

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"Ratchet?" Clank called out as he approched his friend in the garage.

"Not now Clank." Ratchet mumbled, his body half buried in the engine of his star fighter.

Clank however tried again. "Ratchet it's urgent."

"Yeah well its going to have to wait until im done here Clank." Ratchet responded, using his wrench to tighten a bolt on the engine.

Clank knowing that his friend was trying to stay under the radar and scanned the engine to determine its status. He devised a plan to get his friend attention. "Sorry Ratchet this can't wait" With that Clank hopped up into the cockpit and pressed a few buttons before starting the engine of the starfighter.

"What are you talking abou-" Ratchet started, but was cut off as the engine rumbled and sent an electrical backcharge threw it. Ratchet, who happened to not being wearing his gloves, caught the full charge and with a BANG, was flung out of the engine and sent sputtering to the floor. He stood up and looked into the cockpit, wiping some of the oil from his face.

"Clank, what did you do that for?"he asked, starting at his little robot friend with his hand still on the start switch.

Clank hopped out of the cockpit and walked to the garage entrance "Because there is something that requires your attention"

"Oh yeah? How come it required you trying to fry my face?" Ratchet asked following him to the entrance.

Clank pointed up into the sky "Because I did not have time for you to finish."

Ratchet looked up to where Clank was pointing. In the mists of the clouds that hugged Veldin, he could see a large ship in orbit.

"Uh-oh, Is that the Phoenix?" He asked, nerves, suddenly causing his stomach to flutter and making him queasy.

Clank studied the ship for a moment. "My sensors confirm that it is indeed the Phoenix"

Ratchet looked over at Clank "But...What's it doing here?"and a side thought that raided his brain _"Sasha"_

Clank studied his friend. "I do not know Ratchet, but I suggest if you want to stay hidden, now would be a good time to hide."He glanced back up at the Phoenix "I would also suggest you do it soon. They are launching a dropship"

Ratchet jumped and grabbed Clank. "Uh-oh, come on Clank" Ratchet jumped up and grabbed the edge of his garage door pulling it down and hiding his fighter. He ran over to a small tunnel in the ground and dashed through the door there. He slammed the door and engaged the locks. He dropped Clank to the ground and looked over at him. "Glad we fixed the underground entry eh, Clank?"

A scarce five minutes later, Ratchets ears twitched as he heard the dropship land outside his house.

"_Uh-oh"_ he thought to himself.

Ratchet leaned up against the door, ear pressed against it to try and hear what was going on. He jumped back as something pounded on the outside of the door with a CANG CLANG CLANG. There was a pause before a voice called through the door

"Uh...Sarge? you in there?"

Ratchet held his breath as the Galactic Ranger continued to pound on his door. He kept thinking to himself _"Keep quiet and maybe he'll go away"_ over and over again. After about ten minutes he head the Ranger step away from the door.

The Ranger sounded like he turned to someone and spoke up. "There's no answer sir. Are you sure he's here?" Ratchet tried to hear whats was being said to the Ranger but only heard a faint voice, it sounded almost feminine.

Suddenly a much softer knock echoed through the house, accompanied by a voice Ratchet hoped he wouldn't hear.

"Ratchet...Are you in there...Please come out if you are."

"_SASHA! What's she doing here?" _Ratchet thought in a panic, tension taking a hold on his body.

Outside Sasha continued to talk "Ratchet its okay, I know your in there. I know what happened."

"_Huh? Is she talking about Ace, and how does she know?_" Ratchet looked down at the ground _"I guess since she already knows" _Ratchet turned back to the door, he paused for a moment and reached a shaking hand out towards the door. _"Now or never"_ he thought to himself and disengaged the locks.

Outside, Sasha was just turning back to the dropship when her ears twitched and she heard the sound of metal sliding inside the door.. She turned around hopeful that her mission wasn't a failure and stared at the door. She saw it open a crack, and Ratchets green eye peeked out at her. Sasha stared back for a moment. They stayed that way for several moments, One curious to what the other was doing, and the other fighting the tremors in his body.

Sasha eventually spoke up. "Ratchet? Whats wrong? How come you didn't report back to the Phoenix with the others after you escaped from DreadZone?"

Concerned by Ratchets silence, Sasha moved closer to the door. "...Ratchet?..." she called softly, Ratchets eye moved away from the door and Sasha stepped forward thinking he was going to close and lock it again. It was then she realized that Ratchet had moved away from the door leaving it open.

Sasha pushed open the door and entered, she stopped for a moment and stared around the mess that had become Ratchets house. "Ratchet, what have you been doing in here? It's a mess" His DreadZone armor was sitting in the corner of the room with various weapons laying about and everything was covered in a screen of dust with trash littering the room.

"I've been...Preoccupied..."

Sasha jumped at the sound of Ratchet's voice from right behind her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Sasha gasped as she got her first good look at what she had hoped would be her boyfriend since watching the DreadZone coverage. "Ratchet, my god, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Ratchet paused as if confused and looked around to a mirror bolted on the wall. He noticed his dirty face and tried to change the subject. "Oh, yeah, I was working on my starfighter, and Clank got my attention by turning it on."

Sasha saw right through it though "Ratchet, don't try to fool me. This is more then just you get heat blasted. I mean, Look at yourself"

As he looked down at his disheveled fur, Dirty and clumped in places. Oil stains, burn marks, and various tufts were missing as well. As Sasha continued to study him, she noticed his blood-shot eyes. Bags underneath them from lack of sleep. She felt her heart twist in pain _"What has happened to __him?" _she asked herself, forcing herself not to say that he looked like he was dieing.

"Ratchet, something else is going on. Please tell me" she begged him stepped closer, Ratchet sighed a few inches away from her though and turned his gaze away.

"I...Haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately, that's all" Ratchet replied.

Sasha looked at Ratchet with concern. "Ratchet...Have you not been getting a lot of sleep...because...of Ace?"

At the mention of his name, fear clouded his mind and sent tremors down Ratchets back. Desperate not to let Sasha see what was wrong with him, Ratchet stormed off into his room, and locked the door.

Stunned by Ratchets sudden anger Sasha sat down on the couch, there was silence for several moments before she spoke again. "...Clank?"

"Yes Captain Sasha?" asked Clank

Sasha sighed as she put her head in her hands. "How long has he been like that?" She asked him as Clank jumped up onto the table across from her.

"The nightmares started about three weeks ago." replied Clank

Sasha's ears twitched "Nightmares?"

"Yes, Ratchet has refused to tell me what they are about, but..." Clank looked guiltily over at Ratchets door. "I have heard him mutter words during his sleep, I recorded him one time at night."

"What kind of words Clank?" Sasha asked scooting forward on the couch.

"I do not know if you want to hear this Sasha, it sounds like something that disturbs him quite a bit."

"Please Clank?" She pleaded"I need to know whats got him like this. I'm worried."

Clank heard the worry that he himself felt and made a choice. "Very well."

Clank's eyes closed as he looked for the audio file stored inside him. He opened his eyes a few moments later and his mouth dropped open, Ratchet's voice whispering out of his mouth.

"...no...orry...ce...stop...you...ve...no...oice..."

"Can you boost the audio Clank?" Sasha asked struggling to hear more.

Clank closed his mouth for a moment and when he opened it, Ratchets voice clearly echoed out across the room. "No...No...Ace Leave her alone...I'm sorry I killed you, You gave me no choice...Ace no, No! NOOO!" Ratchets voice shook and suddenly Sasha heard him gasping. "Clank?"

Clank closed his mouth "That's the end of the file."

Sasha turned to study Ratchets locked door. "What about Ace Hardlight could have Ratchet so disturbed like this?" she asked aloud to herself.

Clank followed her gaze "I do not know, but I worry for my friend."

Sasha nodded "Me too Clank, me too."

Meanwhile on the other side of the door, Ratchet was recovering from the images in his head. _"She wants to know what scares me?" _he thought to himself_ "I know she cares about me, but I can't burden her with this. These images in my head, I don't know why they wont go away. But I can only watch her die so many times before it gets to me, I love her too much to see the terror that takes me when I see her face. I can't let her know about this, ever, I can't love her, and I'll break her heart otherwise, I can't do that to her, I can't" _He gasped and curled up into a ball as his train of thought was disrupted by more images._"Oh God, Here they come again" _As the images from his Nightmares overloaded his mind Ratchet let out a small whimper and a cry, one last thought tracing in his head.

_"WHY, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?"_

"We've got to get him help Clank" Sasha said as she leaned further back on the couch.

"I know Sasha." Clank replied hopping over to the couch. "But he refuse to leave the area, let alone the planet"

Sasha stared at the floor as she thought of a way to get him to the _Phoenix_.

Clanked watched as her ears suddenly pricked up and her head darted to stare at Ratchets door.

"Wait...Whats that?" Standing up she walked closed to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening intently she heard Ratchet moaning and crying softly for help. She backed up and faced Clank.

"Get it open, now."

Clank thought about arguing but he too heard Ratchets voice and wanted something done."Okay."

Getting quickly off the couch Clank moved over to the door to open it. As he opened the door Sasha pushed into a sight she never thought she would see. Ratchet laying on the floor whimpering and moaning with his eyes tightly closed, and ripping out small bits of his fur. His moans incressed as they entered the room and he began to rock slightly, his own claws digging into his skin and drawing blood.

"Oh my god, Clank go get one of the Rangers, Quickly"

Clank ran out to get the Rangers, and Sasha knelt down next to the shivering Lombax. Placing his hand on his shoulder she leaned down.

"Ratchet?" She asked softly, when he didn't respond anymore then to shiver and curl up tight into a ball she got worried. She turned back to face out the door.

"CLANK HURRY, HES GETTING WORSE!" She yelled out the door.

Two Galactic Rangers rushed in with a stretcher, and Sasha turned back to Ratchet as they picked him up and placed him on the stretcher.

As the picked him up, Ratchets eyes stopped rolling underneath his lids and he opened them weakly.

"Sa...Sasha?" Ratchet muttered softly.

Grabbing hold of his hand, Sasha kept pace with the stretcher

"Yea Hotshot, I'm here." she tried to ignore how hot his hand felt, or how weak his grip was.

"Whe...Where are we going?" Ratchet murmured as they locked him down onto a seat.

"To the _Phoenix_, to get you some help."

Ratchet dropped back into unconsciousness as the ship closed its door and lifted off from the ground.

Sasha began to get really worried as she felt Ratchets face and had to pull her hand away he was sot hot.

_"What has happened to the Lombax I know? What happened to the toughest creature in the galaxy? What am I going to do?"_

Sasha began to cry softly as she realized that she was looking at loosing the one person she had ever loved.

_"Will he ever be the same again?"

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_**At this point, I was considering what to do that would make Ratchet hid out, it was hear that what forms in later chapters began to take root in my mind. This was also my first "nervous" chapter as I was unsure of what people would think of my "sick" Ratchet. When I combed over this part for the Restoration Project, it was almost painful, I had made so many mistakes back then, one of the reasons that had me coming back to this was that the first few chapters were flat out hard to read and rather short, I was afraid of putting in things later that people would come to know from me, or I was just lazy, as such these chapters felt stiffed and fell short of what I strive for usually. There admittedly wasn't a lot that I had removed from this chapter but I did add a few things, and tweaked it so it wasn't just a gigantic block of text. Well that's it for now, and I hope new and old readers alike will review upon this, I still read and reply to all my reviews, even finished stories. Just because I'm done writing it, doesn't mean I don't like to get into a discussion about it.**_

_**Hopefully this will keep you satisfied while I work on chapter 17 of Earth Bound and Chapter 3 of this.**_

_**Peace,  
**_

_**Emile  
**_


	3. Sickness and Dread

**_AuthorsNote: Well here we go, been a while since I update any RC fics, but I felt it was time, and so apparently did my muse considering the ideas came from somewhere right?_ _Anyway, here's the next updated chapter of Nightmares, I really hope you all enjoy it. This one did have a few more changes then the first two, quite a lot in fact. But I believe the over all effect works._**

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The next day, The Starship Phoenix Medical Bay, in orbit above Marcadia.

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Sasha was pacing outside of the medical wing doors again. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Her dad watched her with an amused expression, he decided to try and get her to sit down again.

"Sasha, Come sit down"

Sasha barely glanced his way as she continued pacing "Dad we've been over this before, I can't sit down. My boyfriend is laying in a Medical bed knocked out from a bunch of nightmares that won't stop plaguing him, AND YOU WANT ME TO BE CALM?"

Her dad shrank back, surprised by the sudden outburst from his daughter. Sasha completed a few more paces before she stopped and sighed, closing her eyes she dropped down on the bench next to her dad. Her entire body slouched down like she had lost all the fight in her. She gave another sigh and glanced at her dad.

"I'm sorry dad, I'm just worried about Ratchet"

Her dad put his arm around her, "I know dear. It'll be okay we've got the best doctors in the galaxy working on him."

"But they still have no idea whats wrong with him."

Suddenly the medical doors opened, Sasha jumped to her feet and ran up to the doctor as he came out.

"Is Ratchet going to be okay?" She asked

The Doctor glanced at her father before he gave a sight. "We don't know, we haven't seen anything like this before."

Sasha looked puzzled. "Like what before?"

The doctor consulted his clipboard "It's a rare hallucinogen, it seems to affect the mind the most, disrupting thoughts and causing the victims worse nightmares to come to life."

Sasha felt her heart thud heavily in her chest "You mean Ratchets been like this ever since DreadZone?"

The Doctor nodded "We assume so, it seems the most likely place he got infected, But for all we know he could have been infected a long time ago and its just now surfacing. That's why he is in the condition he's in now. The nightmares have been torturing him for who knows how long now."

Sasha was silent for a moment before she tapped her chin with a finger and looked thoughtful. "I wonder..."

Her dad stood up and looked down at her. "What?"

"What if...There's something in the DreadZone wreckage that could help us. It seems the most likely place that he got infected. What if I take a small squad of Rangers and go explore the wreckage of the station"

Her Dad's eyes widened "Sasha your crazy, who knows whats in there"

Sasha looked up "No dad, I'm not crazy, I'm worried for the one person that I have ever..." she trailed off

"Ever what?" her dad asked

"Loved, Dad, loved, I love Ratchet." and with that she walked out of the medical wing, her dad watching her go.

As she made her way down the corridors of the Phoenix she bumped into Clank knocking him down.

"Ooof"

Sasha looked down, and spotting Clank quickly bending down and pulling him to his feet."Oh Clank I'm sorry"

"It's okay Commander Sasha" Clank replied as he brushed himself off. "I can understand that you are a little distracted"

A thought occurred to Sasha "Hey Clank, was there anything odd during your escape from DreadZone? Anything at all?"

Clank thought about it "Actually there is something that, until recently I have dismissed as nothing" Clank replied

"What is it?" Sasha asked

"When I was removing Ratchets DreadZone collar, there was a slight hiss. I assumed it was the lock releasing. But now, after this, I'm not so sure."

Clank looked up at Sasha as he said this. "Sasha I may not be able to show true emotions, but I am worried about Ratchet. If there is anything I can do to help, Please let me know."

Sasha looked thoughtful, "You know what, there is" she said. "What is it?" Clank asked. "Tell me where Ratchet keeps his old gear, I got an idea but I need to know where his gear is first"

Clank looked puzzled for a few moments, "Why in his living area here aboard the Phoenix"

Sasha looked around. "The Commanders room, Come on Clank lets go"

Clank followed along as Sasha ran to Ratchets room. Upon entering his room, Sasha looked around until she saw what she was looking for.

"Ah" she said as she ran up to a piece of leather hanging off the wall.

Clank caught up to her at that moment. Taking the piece of leather off the wall Sasha turned to Clank and asked "Is this the harness Ratchet used to carry you with?"

Clank looked at Sasha "Yes, it is, but I do not underst-"

"Because" Sasha interrupted "We're going to the Dreadzone wreckage to see if we can find a cure for Ratchet, and I need you to be able to keep up with me"

As she put the harness on Clank started to talk "Sasha I'm not sure that this is such a great idea. But if will help Ratchet I will do whatever it takes."

Sasha looked at him "Good, then hop on" She turned her back so Clank could engage himself onto the harness. He did so with a quick burst from his feet jets and Sasha gave a grunt as he landed on her back.

"Oh, your a little heavier then you look" Sasha said as Clank pulled his legs and arms into his chest. Sasha shrugged her shoulders for a few moments and did some last minute adjustments to the straps.

"Okay, that should do it, lets go, we're going to use Ratchets star fighter to get us to the DreadZone wreckage, and god help anybody who gets in our way."

Clank spoke up from her back "Before you go you may want to get Ratchets Sling Shot, not to mention his other gadgets, who knows maybe some of the Devices that are required to use them are still there"

Sasha looked around the room. "Uh...I don't see anything."

Clank activated his thrusters "That is cause your looking on the bottom floor"

Sasha started to panic a bit as Clank began to lift them off the floor. "Ah...This is a little new to me Clank, take it easy."

Clank laughed as her back "I will try, now if you reach up you should be able to push in the middle of the light"

"Okay" Sasha touched the middle of the light and the whole thing sank into the roof as Clank lifted them through the hole it made.

Sasha was stunned. "Whoa...When did he do all of this?" She asked as they entered the domed room with weapon after weapon bolted to the walls.

"Shortly after he took over the Phoenix I believe" replied Clank.

As he set them down on the floor of the room he said "Ratchet kept the gadgets straight ahead"

Sasha walked forward and she saw what Clank was talking about. "Uh, Clank? I see his DreadZone Gadgets here too, how did he get them here if he didn't return to the Phoenix?"

Clank adjusted himself on her back "I put them here, shortly after you brought Ratchet aboard. I felt it would be wise to have them just in case he woke up."

"Oh, Well okay I'll just grab these and we can go."

_

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Five Days Later,Phoenix Landing Bay, Edge of Shadow Sector, 500 light years from DreadZone Wreckage

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"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this Sasha?" her dad asked her once again.

Sasha looked up at him dressed in some of Ratchets old armor refit so she could wear it. "I'm sure dad, This could be our only hope of saving Ratchet, I'm not going to let it pass us by."

With that she put on her O2 Mask and climbed into Ratchets starfighter with Clank in the Passengers seat.

Her dad walked up to the side and glanced out into space "Well if I can't talk you out of it, I'm glad I talked you into taking some Rangers along."

He turned to the Galactic Rangers boarding the landing craft behind them. "Listen up soldiers, you may be known as cowards, but this is _MY DAUGHTER._ You mess this up and I'll turn you into soup cans, _GOT THAT?_"

He roared out the last two words, causing the Rangers to quickly stand at attention and shout "SIR, YES SIR." "Good"

He turned back to Sasha as the rest of the Rangers ran onto the Drop-ship. "I hope you find what you're looking for Sasha, For your sake and Ratchets."

He suddenly turned away and walked out of the landing bay. Sasha stared after him "Me too dad, Me too." She turned to Clank in the passengers seat" Alright Clank lets get this show on the road" Sasha closed the starfighter canopy as the drop-ship lifted off the deck. Ratchets Starship lifted off the deck after them and turned towards the hanger exit.

Sasha glanced down as the Rangers Showed up on her vid-screen. "Sir, We all remember how Sarge saved our cans, and we promise we will do what we can to help."

Sasha nodded at the screen "Glad to hear it, Lets move out." With that she hit the thrusters and blasted off into the Shadow Sector with the Drop-ship in hot pursuit.

The Galactic President watched the ships leave from his seat on the command bridge. _"I know she's a great fighter and that the Rangers got her back, But I can't shake the feeling that was the last time I'll see my daughter...Alive"_

He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts and sat up straighter in the chair. "Ranger"

The Ranger behind his chair jumped to attention. "Yes Sir?"

"I know the Phoenix is too big to follow them through the debris in there. But I want you to plot a course after them, So if we get any sign that they need our help, We'll be ready."

The Ranger nodded and went to a console. "Yes Sir"

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**_Okay, so, for those who are reading this for the first time, and are the ones without accounts, you should know that I have enabled anonymous reviews for my stories. So please, feel free to drop me a review, I love to get them, even if its a finished story. I also reply to _all _my reviews, no matter how long it takes. Unless of course you do it anonymous of course. Anyway, off to write more, till next time._**

**_Peace,_**

**_Emile  
_**


	4. Dread's Last Stand

**_AuthorsNote: Okay wow, this one had the most added to it, I actually kinda reworked the last half in fact.__ Ended up doubling the Length, but enough from me, I'll let you get in to it._**

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2 Hours later, Somewhere in the Shadow Sector, Edge of DreadZone Wreckage

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"Is that it?" Sasha asked Clank as she stared outside at the wreckage before them.

"It is" Clank replied from next to her.

"Well I guess we better give the Rangers a call then" Sasha said as she dialed a connection to the Ranger drop-ship behind them.

Her Vid-Screen blinked and the Rangers Squad leader CR-4 appeared.

"Rangers here, Whats going on?"

Sasha went back to staring at the wreckage as she talked

"We're going to have to leave the ships here and search the wreckage by hand, if we move in much further we risk damaging the ships."

Sasha watched a executor robot go tumbling past, a large hole blasted in its chest.

"_I wonder if Ratchet did that" _ She closed the link the drop-ship and turned to Clank.

"Ready?"

Clank nodded and stood up, converting to Jet Pack mode. Sasha leaned over and pulled him onto her back, making sure he was connected to the harness before checking her own gear. She glanced around the cockpit one last time before sticking her N60 Storm into her holster.

She popped the canopy and launched her self out of the cockpit, Clank fired his thrusters and caused her to flip over and see the Rangers flipping out of the drop-ship. As she flipped back towards her original direction she keyed her comm to Clank.

"Is there anyway I can control your thrusters directly?"

"One second."

Sasha waited and blinked when a small screen appeared on her visor.

"I have tapped into your suit and you can now control my thrusters however you need."

Sasha spent some time experimenting and by the time she had gotten good at moving around the Rangers had caught up to her. She turned to face them and patched back into their channel.

"Alright, we need to spread out a little bit, we have a lot of wreckage to cover and not a whole lot of time to do it in. Stay in teams of two, I don't want anybody getting lost out here. Remember, were here looking for things that may be related to Ratchets illness." She turned back to face the center of the wreckage but paused. "Also, uh, remember, this is the Shadow Sector, Sensors on high alert, move out."

With that Sasha engaged the thrusters and blasted in towards the wreckage, as she flew past twisted husks of robots, glass, and shuttle parts, her mind began to wonder._"How many of those thing did Ratchet destroy? How many of them came close to killing him, do any of them hold clues to his illness?" _She had watched the entire event from the _Phoenix _after she was put back in charge of it.

Clanks voice sounded in Sasha's ear.

"Sasha, I am picking up power signatures up ahead, I believe it may be the remains of Vox's office."

Sasha scanned the horizon and saw what looked like a tower with a small oval at the top.

"I wonder how it survived the explosion?"

"Vox had centered the explosives on the arena, everything else went from splash damage and the shock-waves."

"Ah"

Sasha maneuvered herself towards the office while patching out into the Ranger comms.

"Rangers I've got a lead, checking out Vox's office, I'm activating my transponder and I want you all to move in towards me."

Sasha flew in along the side of the office and spotted a hole in the wall, she grabbed the edge and swung in, receiving a surprise when she dropped to the floor from the ceiling.

"Ouch"

Sasha picked herself up off the floor and dusted down her suit as Clank dropped off her back.

"I suppose if there is power, it would make sense that the gravity generators for this area are still active."

Sasha rolled her arm, rubbing out some stiffness from her shoulder.

"Yea, thanks Clank, that would have been nice to know _before_ I came in here."

Clank said nothing but just glanced around the room.

"Look, The computer Vox used survived, I think I will try and hack in. Oh, and by the way, there is oxygen in here."

"Thanks for the heads up, again" Sasha replied as she pulled off her helmet and looked around. Spotting a bookcase, Sasha started to poke through files, looking for any sort of lead.

"Hmm...Whats this?" Sasha wondered out-loud as she picked up a folder called business. _"'Tiny Tots Assault Weapons kit'? What the hell was this guy into?" _She thought to herself.

"Sasha I believe I have found something." Clank called from across the room. Sasha went over to stand behind Clank.

"What is it?" She asked as she bent over to stare at the screen.

"It is a bit of a video diary that is dated an hour before Ratchet defeated Vox" Clank replied

"Play it"

Vox's face appeared on the computer screen

"...N...ow...e...at...it...believe...it...He, Actually beat the Ghost Station Course. This is not good, if the security alarm was right, they could escape." The Vox on screen pounded his fist against the desk with a thud.

"I won't let that happen, I wonder...It could work, and I have been needing a test subject. Yes, yes, that will do. _Beep_ 'Sir?' Activate emergency action 2 on DreadZone collar 211434. 'Sir?' Just do it. 'Yes sir.' Well Ratchet even if you do escape lets see how long you can stand your worst nightmares. Glad I developed that virus way back when. Hmm, I need a place to store the data, just in case. I supp...e...I ...He...se..f...d..e..."

"The rest is...corrupted. But there is a file attached, we may be able to get something off of it."

Sasha nodded

"Good download it."

Clank pressed a few keys

"It is done"

Sasha stood up and looked around. "Okay lets get out of here, this place gives me the creeps." Just then static erupted over the comm line.

"-Asha ge-er-no-si-ery-bots-acti-securi-"

"Dad?" Sasha asked confused "Clank, can you boost the signal?"

Clank nodded and Sasha flinched as her dad's voice came through loud and clear.

"Get out of there Sasha! There are signals active over the entire wreckage, They are all heading for you. Do you hear me, get out now!"

Sasha jumped and headed for the hole in the wall while putting on her helmet. "Come on Clank, time to leave." Clank hopped onto her back and Sasha made to jump through the hole in the wall, but stopped as she saw movement outside. Pressing against the wall and peaking outside she saw what could only be described as trouble.

Dreadbots as far as the eye could see, pushing aside wreckage and wielding various pieces of weaponry advancing towards her. She drew back behind the wall and activated her comm line.

"Dad" she whispered, "I'm trapped, where are the Rangers?"

"Right above ya Sir."

Sasha looked out as a wave of blue bolts blasted from above her sight and tore into the first rank of robots, disabling a few and blasting the rest into pieces.

"Got to love back up." Sasha said checking the seals on her helmet and reaching for her N60 pistol before front flipping out the hole and activating Clanks thrusters and loosing a bunch of shots from the weapon. The Rangers dropped down and formed a protective circle around her.

"Come on!" she called "Push for the ships we need to get out of here."

The Rangers complied increasing their fire rate as the moved towards the line, Sasha pulled the trigger as fast as she could on her pistol, losing count of how many Bots she had blasted. Time flew by, and all she was conscious of was the weight of Clank on her back, the calls of reloading and ammo, and the sweat running down her body. After what only seemed like a few minutes but was really almost an hour Sasha saw Ratchet's fighter and the drop ship.

"Clank can you remote start the fighter?"

"Already on it."

"Good"

The Rangers gave one last push and they were through the line heading for the ships,

"Head for the drop-ship" Sasha called splitting off from the group and blasting towards the starfighter. As she reached it, the canopy opened and Sasha grabbed the edge preparing to lower herself in. She never got the chance however as something large smashed into her side and sent her tumbling through space, through the haze of pain she vagule felt Clank spin off of her back. Then she connected with the side of the drop-ship and felt most of her mind slip into darkness.

"_Don't give up"_ said a voice in her head.

"_You are Ratchet's last chance, do you hear me? DO NOT GIVE UP!"_

Sasha shook the darkness from her vision and gasped as she saw an large robot with a tridant chraging forward to impale her on it. She grabbed a small piece of metal on the outside of the drop-ship and pulled her self out of harms way. The tridant punctured the side of the ship and Sasha grabbed hold of the staff and spun her body around towards the Executor, both of her feet making sharp impact with its head.

The Executor lost its grip on his weapon and went tumbling back into space, it corrected itself however and charged back towards Sasha who braced herself on the side of the drop-ship. As it got closer it raised a fist to smash her and swung, missing Sasha by inches as she propelled off the side of the ship and over the robots head. As she glanced down at the bot she saw a gap in its neck, with one cord sticking out. Reaching out she grabbed and held on, her force being enough to rip the cord out as she continued her movement. The Executor spun around to try and hit her and its eyes got dark as it tumbled into space.

Sasha was also tumbling into space, without Clank on her back she couldn't navigate, and it would only be so long before a Dreadbot got her.

"_Damn,"_ she thought to herself _"I hope Clank gets back to the fighter, hes Ratchets last hope now."_

Sudden;y she felt something slam into her back and she panicked for a moment until Clanks voice sounded in her ear.

"I got you now Sasha."

"Oh Clank, glad to hear your voice."

Clank aimed them back towards the fighter "The same to you Sasha."

As they reached the ship and got in, Sasha quickly closed the canopy and blasted off with the drop-ship trailing behind her. She keyed in the _Phoenix _on her comm.

"Sasha to Dad, can you hear me?"

"Go ahead"

"We got a lead and on our way in, no way of telling if any of the bots are still following us, so get the engines primed for Marcadia."

"Roger"

Sasha saw the _Phoenix _grow bigger in her view, she curved around with the drop-ship and landed in the rear-bay, the doors closing behind her. She sighed and leaned back in her seat as the _Phoenix_ started leaving the DreadZone Wreckage behind them.

She turned to face Clank "Well, that was easy."

* * *

**_Okay, so I feel primed to note for those who read this, I am hosting a Ratchet and Clank Christmas Fiction contest, its easy to enter, just write something holiday related, go to the 'My Forums' link on my profile page and then look for the submission area. Simple as that, you've helped make the Ratchet and Clank section just a little bit bigger._**

**_Good luck,_**

**_Emile.  
_**


	5. Flashback, Hope

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_6 Months ago, Orxon Factory, Orxon_

_"So, it's come back to here then. The place where my plan to make billions started." _Drek thought to himself. Drek walked to the window and stared out at the shut down assembely line. _"Soon though, Very soon, I will rise from this planet with an army and once again attack this galaxy" _Drek turned around as Dr. Nefarious passed through the air-fields to his office.

"How is the refitting of the robot lines coming?" Drek asked as Nefarious passed through the last air-field gate. "They are complete, We can begin production as soon as we get the metal" Nefarious replied as he sat down in the chair across from Drek. "But where do we get the metal we need without anybody noticing?" Drek asked him. Nefarious looked at him "It's a little risky but we passed by some space station wreckage while floating out there. I'm sure theres plenty of metal there." Drek nodded "Indeed, but the manpower to harvest enough metal would be huge. with just three of us it would take years." Nefarious looked around the room "While that is true, don't we both have people we can enlist to help us. Don't you have more squish-er Blarg that can help you?

Drek nodded again "It could work, but we have to be carefull who we enlist." Drek turned back to the window. "Was there anything else?" Nefarious stood. "No, I'll be heading out to contact my old allies then" With that Nefarious walked through the air-fields.

_"That fool treats me like a servent" _Seethed Dr. Nefarious as he walked down the hall _" I swear as soon as this is over. That Squishy is dead"_

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_Present time, Starship Phoenix Medical bay, En-route to Marcadia_

"So the total losses were 7 Rangers and that huge dent in the side of the Dropship?" Sasha dad cocked his eyebrow as he noted something on her report. "Where a Dreadbot Exeutor tried to impale you with his trident?" Sasha was still staring at Ratchets shiviring form _"What could Ace Hardlight have to be doing to scare him so bad?" _Her dad snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Sasha?" She jumped and turned to look at her Dad "Sorry Dad, I'm just hoping that the data the Clank found can help Ratchet"

Her dad put his arm around her. "I'm sure it will honey, you just need to have faith. Faith the Clank and Al can recover the missing data." Sasha looked up at her dad. "Al's here? When did that happen?" "apperntly it was right after you went into the DreadZone wreckage." Al said as he came into the room. "Al, it's good to see you again. Hvae you had any luck with the Data the Clank found?" Sasha asked as she walked up to him. "Actually that's why im here, Clank found something.....Intresting...He told me to come get you" Sasha looked hopefull "ok then lets go" Sasha ran out of the room leaving Al and her Dad behind. Al looked over at the Galatic President. "She really loves him doesn't she?" The Galatic president nodded as he and Al walked out of the room.

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	6. Never Ending Nightmare

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_Starship Phoenix Medical bay, Ratchet's room, Ratchet's Nightmare_

Ratchet stood panting as he stood there staring at the door again. _"I know what's coming, I know I can stop it, and this time I will._" He thought to himself as he prepared for another run down the corridor ahead. _"Better get going before it starts again"_ Ratchet walked up to the door and pressed the button to open it. _"I know whats coming and I WILL stop it this time"_ With that thought repeating in his head Ratchet took off down the corridor.

Not one moment after he stepped in the corridor it changed. Slots opened in the wall and pits formed ahead of him. Turrnet's slotted down from the celling. Out of the slots in the wall came darts and chainsaw blades.

Ratchet looked ahead at the death course and smiled. _"Just like Annihilation Nation, This is the easy part"_ Ratchet kept running down the hall at full steam. Dodging the traps as he went. _"It's the same thing every time. Which means 'It's' coming"_ Ratchet thought to himself as he dodged the fire from a flame turrent in the celling. _"Here 'It' comes"_ Ratchet thought as a giant pit opened in front of him

Ratchet jumped as far as he could, but knew it was hopeless before he started. Sure enough Ratchet missed the other edge by millimeters _"NOO"_ Ratchet thought as he slid down the wall of the pit. "_Not again, no, No, NO, NO, NO, NO."_ Ratchet started to wall jump up the pit. But each time he noticed that the walls moved apart more and more with each jump. _"NO NO NO NO NO"_ Ratchet screamed in his head as he missed the other wall and fell into blackness.

As the darkness surrounding Ratchet started to fade away, He saw where he was. The Screaming fans, The Arena, and Him. Ace Hardlight stood in the middle of the arena holding Clank up by one hand and a gun to Clanks head with the other. Ace chuckled "So Ratchet, we find ourselves here again huh?" Ratchet stood up from the floor while grabbing his omin-wrench from next to him. "Don't do it Ace" Ratchet said as he moved closer. "Don't do it?!" Ace chuckled. "And what are you going to do to stop me?" Ratchet jumped towards Ace as he pulled the trigger. "NO" Ratchet thought to himself as his wrench passed through Ace. Ratchet had no choice but to sit there and watch as Ace killed his best friend. Ace chuckled as he dropped what remained of Clanks broken body to the floor. Ace chuckled as Ratchet stood up with anger in his eyes. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT ACE" Ratchet shouted as he jumped at Ace-

-And got shot in the chest by him. But he wasn't dead, he was stuck. Ace stood over him as Ratchet struggled against the ropes that held him to the floor. Ace bent down over Ratchet. "You know whats coming next Ratchet, and theres nothing you can do to stop that either." Ace chuckled as he stood up and waved his hand at the edge of the arena.

Two DreadBots flew in holding a bound Sasha between them. "NOO" Ratchet struggled harder against his restraints. Ace chuckled at Ratchet as he struggled. The DreadBots landed next to Ace, Sasha struggling to get free from them. Ace raised his gun and pointed it at Sasha who's eyes went wide. Ratchet began to beg. "No....No....Ace Leave her alone. I'm sorry I killed you" Ace laughed. "It's too late for 'sorrys' Ratchet. This is going to happen." Ratchet struggled harder against his bonds "You gave me no choice." Ace began to pull the trigger. "Ace no, No, NOOO." Ratchet watched as time slowed down and he saw Ace's blast hit Sasha in the chest.

Suddenly Ace, The Dreadbots, The screaming fans, and all of the ropes vanished. Ratchet jumped up and ran to Sasha as she lay dieing. Ratchet collapsed to his knees and held Sasha as he said "Sasha, Sasha, It's going to be okay. Just hold on, Just-" Ratchets voice broke as Sasha attempted to speak "-Rat....I....lo....lov....love....." Sasha shakily raised her arm, which Ratchet grabbed and held tightly. As if he could change what was happening by sheer force of will. Sasha swallowed hard and tried to speak again, blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth. "I'm....sorry...never...told....how....I.....reall-" Sasha was interrupted by a series of harsh coughs. Each one adding to the blood already surrounding her. Ratchet cradled her form, crying freely now"I....feel......." Ratchet put his finger on her lips "Shush" he sobbed out "It's going to be okay, you'll see. I saved two Galaxies I can save you" Sasha forced a smile past her pain. She reached up with her other arm and gripped the one he was holding. "...Rat.....This is it..." she choked out. "Sash" Ratchet sobbed again. Sasha moved her hands to cup Ratchet's face. Ratchet cried harder as he realized that once again there was nothing he could do. Suddenly Sasha's arms went limp and she closed her eyes. As Sasha died Ratchet broke down sobbing. "NO SASHA SASHA NO NOOO" Ratchet cradled her body as he sobbed. _"WHY CAN'T I SAVE YOU?!"_ Ratchet howled in his mind over his anguish. Ratchet sat in the middle of the arena for hours sobbing and holding his dead girlfriend.

Soon he noticed the darkness rolling across the Arena. _"No, NO, Stay Away, Stay away"_ Ratchet thought to himself as the darkness covered Sasha body and left him floating in his turmoil. As light returned Ratchet was back in the same room he started in, sobbing. _"I can't take it anymore, Just let it end, Just let it end"_ Ratchet thought as he collapsed to his knees. _"Just...let...it....end..."_ Ratchet collapsed face first on the floor. Images of Sasha dieing floating in his head as darkness surrounded him again.....

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	7. Love Trumps All

dudeman858: you had her say you want me to be clam instead of calm  
THANK YOU for pointing that out, anybody who reads this and spots a mistake let me know. Also this chapter is a spur of the moment kinda (post?) so enjoy

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Phoenix Medical Bay, Ratchet's Room, Marcadia orbit_

Sasha sat next to Ratchet's bed, Holding his hand and thinking back to her conversation with Clank and Al.

_"And your sure this could cure him?" She had asked hopefully. Clank had swung around in his chair to face her. "If the data Al and I recovered is to be believed the cure is rather simple. In fact if we can call ahead to Marcadia they could have some ready by the time we reach it." Sasha had jumped out of her seat and turned to the Rangers in the room. "You heard him" She had shouted at them "Get a call to Marcadia have them get the cure ready."_

Sasha chuckled to herself as she remember the Rangers reaction _"Uh, sir?" they had said. "What exactly is the cure" Sasha had been struck dumb. She had turned back to Clank. "Uh, Clank...Little help here?" Clank had just chuckled as he told the Rangers what was needed. "Large amounts of Premium Nanotech, a large powersoruce with which to charge it with. Then all thats left is something to inject Ratchet with"_

Sasha leaned forward and rubbed Ratchet's fur. Smiling as she thought about how the cure would get here soon. "Just hold on a little longer Ratchet, the cure is on it's way up" She whispered to him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her

Suddenly the monitors around Ratchet's bed started beeping franticly in alert. Sasha jumped up as doctors ran in and started to work on Ratchet. "What's happening? What's Wrong?" She cried franticly to the doctors. One of them turned and told her. "We have no idea, it's like he has lost the will to live." Sasha gasped. _"No, Vox can't win, It can't end, not like this" _ Sasha ran foreword and pushed past the Doctor's to Ratchets side, as the doors to the med bay flew open and a Ranger rushed in. "Sir I got it" Sasha looked up with a tear soaked face "Hurry" she yelled at him.

The Ranger ran forward and handed a vial to one of the doctor's, who loaded it into a syringe and injected Ratchet in the neck. A few moments went by and yet the monitors continued to wail. Sasha looked tearfully at the doctors "Why isn't it working?" the doctors stood around looking at Ratchet with bowed heads. _"NO!" _Sasha screamed in her head. She bent over her dieing boyfriend. "Ratchet" she sobbed "Don't give up, you never gave up before, don't start now. There's so much for you to live for. Clank, The Ranger's.....Me. Please don't give in" As the monitors continued to beep, one of the doctors walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry" was all he said before he turned around to the other doctors in the room. "I'm calling this one, Time: 7:45 PM" He faced the wailing machines and shut them off before he turned back to Sasha and tried to move her away from Ratchet. She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and collapsed on Ratchet's chest sobbing "....no...no....don't leave me....don't....."

_Ratchet floated in darkness "So this is what death is like huh? Didn't know it would feel like this." Suddenly Ratchet heard something. "...Ratchet..." a voice echoed. _"Sasha?" _Ratchet thought, _"What's she doing alive? What's going on?" _"You never gave up before, don't start now" Sasha's voice continued to echo through the void "There's so much for you to live for. Clank, The Ranger's....Me. _"Me? Is she talking...about...." _"don't leave me....don't..." Sounds of Sasha crying drifted from the void to Ratchet's ears. Along with a doctor calling out a time of death. _"Who's clocking out Sash, sure as heck not me." _Ratchet looked around at his surrounding darkness._ "Where are you I'll find you" _Ratchet shielded his eyes as a bright flash lit the darkness he was floating in. As the light cleared Ratchet lowered his hand to see the Phoenix as if from far away, and to see himself laying in a bed with a doctor trying to move someone away from him, the Doctor moved and there sobbing on his chest was Sasha. _"She really does care. If I give up she would be crushed, she already is and I'm not even" _Ratchet stopped for a moment _"NO I WON'T DO THAT TO HER" _With an effort that would have made metal bend, and some of Ratchets tougher enemies quiver in fear Ratchet started slowly moving through the darkness towards the Light, towards the Phoenix, Towards his body, Towards Sasha "Hey Sash, Hang on, I'm coming" he called into the darkness of his own mind._

Suddenly the monitors tone changed. The wails of alarms were replaced by the soft beeping of the heart monitor. Sasha lifted her tear soaked face off of Ratchet's chest to stare at the monitors. _"Is it...Can it.....be?" _Sasha turned her head to look at Ratchet. "Rat?" Sasha leaned towards his head. "Rat? Can you hear me?" Ratchet stirred, then slowly, so slowly she thought she was dreaming, he opened his eyes. "Hey Sash" He coughed, his throat dry. "Long time no see." He said sleepily. Sasha smiled as she leaned forward suddenly and kissed him. Ratchet's eyes went from sleepy to wide awake and shocked. Sasha broke the kiss and slowly moved away from him "Glad I can still surprise you sometimes hotshot" Sasha said as she smiled and blushed under her fur remembering that the Doctors and the Ranger were still in the room, Trying not to make the moment awkward. She quickly wiped the tears off her face. Ratchet just chuckled sightly, "So..." he started with a cocky grin, Sasha's kiss having fully woke him up. "What I'd miss?"

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	8. Darkness is Ever Present

ForeWord: I asked my Beta-Reader to review this early, and he did, So Thanks TJay.

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Starship Phoenix Medical Bay, Ratchet's Room, Marcadia Orbit_

"So, almost 2 weeks huh?" Ratchet asked as he lay in the medical bed propped up with a dozen pillows behind him. Sasha nodded, comfortable in her seat at the side of his bed.

"Yeah, We were all worried that you wouldn't make it"_ "Not to mention I thought I had lost you, twice, and broke down both times" She added silently._ Ratchet and Sasha were alone in his room, talking about odds and ends and just enjoying each others company. The only sound aside from them was the faint beeping of Ratchet's heart monitor, which the Doctors insisted they keep hooked up.

Ratchet looked away from her suddenly. "You're mad at me aren't you?" he asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet looked at her.

"For letting you believe me dead" he replied. It was Sasha's turn to look away.

"I'm not mad Ratchet, I just thought that I had lost my..." Ratchet looked at her.

"I don't suppose saying I'm sorry will allow me to remain your boyfriend?" Sasha looked over at him startled. "What?" he asked puzzled by her reaction. Although they had been dating 'officially' since shortly after Nefarious's attempt to take over. This was the first time he actually said anything like it out loud.

"Nothing" Sasha replied brushing back a lock of her hair. "It's just that's the first time you said anything along the lines of 'My Boyfriend' out loud." Ratchet's face crunched up like he was blushing, Which Sasha assumed he was.

"Do you not want me to?" he asked her.

"No" She said suddenly and quite loudly. Sasha was blushing underneath her fur. "No" she repeated more calmly as Ratchet smiled at her. "What's changed though?" she asked.

His face darkened and Sasha was worried that he wasn't going to answer her. "Sasha" he started. "The things I saw in my nightmares, they made me realize how much I care for you" he said as he reached for her hand, engulfing it inside his much larger one.

_"It wasn't "him" in the recording"_ Sasha thought surprised _"It was "her" her as in..."_ Sasha smiled at that last thought _"He was talking about me. Wait if they were nightmares, what was going on..."_ Ratchet was staring at her. "Can I ask you something Ratchet?" He nodded "What exactly happened in your....Nightmare?"

Ratchet looked away for a moment. "...Horrible things..." he finally said.

He looked back at her. "You said Vox designed the Virus to bring your worst fears to life right?" He asked.

She nodded, fearing what was coming next "Well it certainly does that"_ "Congrats Vox"_ He thought to himself_ "You almost won, but not quite"_ Out loud he said. "It started with small things"

"What things?" she asked as she got up and sat in the bed next to him.

"I found myself in situations where I was trapped or helpless to save somebody" he said with a shudder "It started small, people and things I knew were there and that I would miss if they were killed."

"First came Qwark, His death was....horrible..." Ratchet shuddered again from the images. "Slowly though, it got worse. The Nightmare Deaths worked their way around to everybody I know. Qwark, Helga, Skrunch, Galactic Rangers, Skidd, Al." Ratchet stopped and swallowed hard "Then it got really bad. Clank was first, I was forced to relive some of the most horrible situations where I couldn't..."He choked out the last part, "Couldn't do anything to save him."

Ratchet swallowed hard again "But the worst was yet to come" Sasha continued to listen, It slowly dawning on her.

_ "The thing he fears most is losing me, and not being able to do anything about it"_

She noticed Ratchet had stopped talking. She looked over at him and saw him, reminding her so much of when she first saw him on Veldin. His eyes were shut tightly, and he looked to be in great pain. He was shuddering hard, and there were tears running quietly down his face. Sasha reached around him and hugged him, nuzzling into his fur "Shh...it's okay" she whispered "It's over now, I'm alive"

Ratchet leaned into her. "I can't lose you Sash, I couldn't stand it" He whispered.

Sasha grabbed his chin and lifted it up to face hers. "You'll never lose me Rat, I love you after all." She leaned forward and kissed him. She broke off the kiss to see that Ratchet still had tears running down his face.

"Sash...I know, but the nightmares were...bad. I felt that I was losing a piece of myself each time." Sasha held him as he sobbed into her shoulder. They sat like that in the bed for sometime. It wasn't until Ratchet had stopped shaking from his sobbing and finally passed into his first real sleep since DreadZone, that Sasha got up and left the room.

Sasha leant back against the wall next to the door. _"God, what must have been going on to shake him up from just the memories that he can't even talk?"_ Slowly Sasha made her way down the empty corridors of the Phoenix to her room. As she opened her door another thought drifted into her head. _"What was Ace Hardlight doing to me that Ratchet couldn't stand to watch? I know it had to do something with my death. But what...?"_

As she collapsed into her bed, she remembered something she had feared as the dropship left Veldin. She couldn't help but think it again _"Will he ever be the same again?"_ She lifted her head off her pillow_ "Rat, we'll get through this"_

She reached for a picture of Ratchet she had on her nightstand._ "I remember when we took this"_ She thought_. "It was right after Ratchet beat Nefarious"_ She rubbed her finger over the picture. In it Sasha had just started to kiss Ratchet. He looked so surprised. a few tears fell onto the picture as she remembered back when times were happy, and not in doubt.

_"Rat, I lost you once, almost twice, I don't think I could survive a third time"_ She thought. Slowly Sasha slipped into a deep sleep, Holding the old picture, crying, and hoping tomorrow would be better.

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	9. Feeling Better

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_The Next Day, Starship Phoenix Medical Bay, Ratchet's Room_

Ratchet was still sleeping peacefully when he felt something tickle his ear. "Mmpgh..." He muttered into his pillow. Yet who ever it was kept tickling his ear. He folded down his ears to try and stop it. But that only convinced his tormentor to start tickling his ribs. Ratchet rolled over to try and stop that, The tormentor stopped and Ratchet thought that he might get back to sleep.

Suddenly he felt a draft across his legs as the covers were ripped off his bed. That woke him up. Ratchet sat up shouting "HEY!" He looked around for his tormentor, but saw only Sasha holding his bed sheets and giggling.

"Captain Qwark boxers Rat?" She asked still giggling. Ratchet blushed as he grabbed the bed sheet back from her and covered himself again.

"Having fun?" he asked while shooting her a glare.

"Actually yes" she replied while still giggling, for some reason she couldn't get over it.

Finally she calmed down and sat down on the side of Ratchet's bed.

"Anyway I'm here to offer you something"

He looked at her quizzically. Sasha waved her hand at the door as two Galactic Ranger's walked in and saluted. Ratchet looked at them "I don't get it, your giving me Galactic Rangers?"

Sasha giggled again, "No I'm offering you your old rank back, if you want it."

"We could really use your help Sarge," the Ranger on the left said.

"Yeah, the 'noids are using us like stepping stones." the Ranger on the right added.

Ratchet looked at Sasha "'Noids? I thought they were gone..." Sasha shook her head.

"Some of them appeared when you disappeared into DreadZone. They have been attacking random planets ever since then."

Ratchet glanced at her in thought, "I missed alot didn't I?" It was then the Ratchet noticed Sasha's attire "Hey," he said slowly "That's what you were wearing when you had control over the Phoenix."

Sasha looked at him, quizzically "Well somebody had to take over after you vanished. They figured, why not the old commander of the Phoenix?"

"Oh, Then how would I get my old rank back?" He asked

"You would be Co-Commander"

"Co-commander?" Ratchet asked she nodded "...the hell? arent you Mayor or something?"

"Yes, I still don't know why I ever agreed to be mayor of Metropolis..." She sighed "That job was so.....Boring"

Ratchet laughed at that. "All right then"

Sasha looked hopeful "Really?"

"Hey, if it means spending more time with you, yes." He said as he grabbed her hand. Unfortunately the happy moment was interrupted by the two snickering Rangers in the doorway. Ratchet looked at them disdainfully, "Dismissed." The Rangers instantly stood at attention and walked out of the room.

Ratchet hopped out of the bed surprising Sasha. "Well guess I need to get my armor, then." he said walking towards the door.

Sasha was giggling again when she said, "Uh...Rat? Forgetting something?" Ratchet stopped as he realized he almost walked through the Phoenix in his boxers. Sasha laughed as she held up a flight suit, she could tell he was blushing again.

"So.....If you were captain again, were you sleeping in my room?" He asked while he put on the simple flight suit.

"No I took a different room" Ratchet finished dressing and nodded. "You're weapons are still there though." Ratchet looked guilty

"Oh, you found those huh?"

"Yeah, Why didn't you tell anybody about that? You have enough super powered weapons up there to supply the Galactic Rangers on the Phoenix right now. Not to mention the fact, that the RYNO's could level an entire planet from space." Ratchet glanced at her thoughtfully.

"What planet are the 'noids on again?" he asked,

"They, are on-" Sasha started, but abruptly ended herself midsentence "Wait.....No way... Ratchet!" Ratchet smiled "Hey, it was worth a shot at least." with that he ran out of the room leaving Sasha standing next to the bed shaking her head.

_"__Guess somebody's feeling better" _She thought to herself as she walked out of the room.

As Ratchet walked into his room, he spotted Clank working at his computer. A wicked grin spread across his face as he got an idea.

Ratchet slowly snuck up behind Clank, as he raised his hands to grab him- "Do not even think about it, Ratchet"

Ratchet stopped with his hands just above Clank. "Hey...How did ya know?" he asked curiously.

Clank gestured at Ratchet's reflection in the computer screen. "It was hard not to." Ratchet rolled his eyes as Clank chortled. "I'm glad to see you back on your feet Ratchet" Clank said as he turned around.

"So what happened around here while I was out? Sasha was a little short on details..."

"Oh, not much" Clank tried to dismiss the topic.

Ratchet only put two and two together then, "You're the one who showed her my Weapons room, weren't you?" he said pointing a finger at Clank. Clank lowered his head "I'm sorry Ratchet, I-"

"Hey its okay I don't know why I tried to hide them in the first place. Come on I need to get some gear" Ratchet turned his back and felt Clank attach himself to the back of his flight suit. _"Ah, It's good to feel that again" _Ratchet flexed his back.

"Is something wrong?" Clank asked from behind him.

"Nothing, just been a while since we've had to do that, not to mention the two weeks I spent doing nothing in that bed."

Clank sounded worried when he spoke again "Ratchet, are you sure you are ready for active duty?" Ratchet nodded.

Unsure if Clank could see it he said, "Yeah, no more stalling. Afraid you won't be able to lift me off the ground anymore?"

"No I-"

"Then let's go!" Ratchet said as he jumped into the air and felt Clank's thrusters kick in.

As Ratchet activated the light switch, something came to his attention. As Clank lifted them through the hole, Ratchet asked, "Hey Clank. How'd you know I was back on active duty?"

"Sasha stopped by before she went to see you, to ask if I thought you would accept." Clank responded as they landed. Ratchet felt Clank drop off his back. "Clank, Go activate the Armors please,"

"Already on it, Ratchet." Clank replied as he walked across the room to a small computer. Ratchet stood in front of a row of small dips in the floor, he heard Clank call "Which one exactly?" Ratchet replied with out even looking over at Clank.

"All of them."

Ratchet heard Clank pressing buttons, and from the ceiling above the dips cylinders dropped down. Fitting perfectly into the depressions and small hissing sounds erupted as the cylinders locked into place. The cylinders split open to show every single suit of armor Ratchet ever owned. He reached for the Aegis Mark V armor he got long ago as a gift from the Rangers.

Clank walked up behind him. "Ratchet are you sure about that? Why not use the Infernox Armor?"

Ratchet looked down at him. "I never liked those suits, and now, now they remind me of DreadZone Armor."

Ratchet was in the middle of putting on the Aegis armor when he heard the door below open. He froze half dressed in the armor.

Ratchet slowly reached for his Shock Cannon while motioning Clank away from the hole. Ratchet moved towards the hole, His Shock Cannon pointed down through it. Ratchet immediately stopped, and put away his gun when he saw who it was.

Sasha was looking around his room, apparently forgetting about Ratchet's room above. Inside the room Ratchet was snickering quietly as he watched Sasha. He dropped down quietly behind her. He quickly reached forward as he saw her ears prick up at his landing, grabbing her and swinging her around while she screeched and giggled.

As Ratchet set her down he could only think of one thing to say "My turn to surprise you"

She giggled again as she gave him a quick hug before stepping away, "Very funny, Are you ready?" she asked pointing at him half dressed in his armor.

Ratchet nodded "Yeah, yeah... Just give me a sec, I'll see you on the bridge 'kay?" She nodded and left the room.

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	10. First Day Back

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Starship Phoenix Main Landing Bay, En-route to Daxx_

Ratchet and Clank walked past several Galatic Rangers as they headed to the transport to the bridge.

_"It feels so good to be walking down here like this again" _Ratchet thought as he waved to a few of the Rangers that stopped and stood at attetion. Ratchet and Clank stepped into the Transport behind a few other Galatic Rangers. As Ratchet stood looking at the Rangers he noticed some marks on one of the shoulders.

_"Why does that Ranger remind me of someone he thought?" _Ratchet noticed a number stamped onto his shoulder.

"CR4?" Ratchet asked. The Ranger with the marks on his shoulders turned around.

"Yes Si- SARGE" The Ranger walked back towards them. He reached out and shook his hand. "Sarge I thought you were dead"

_"I was, sorta" _Ratchet thought. "Nah just not around" CR4 Chuckled.

"See your still wearing that armor we got you a while back." Ratchet looked down at his Aegis armor with its various nicks and marks from where a round didn't get deflected right.

"Yeah, Served me well." Clank hopped off Ratchets back

"Excuse me CR4 but you sound diffrent from the last time we saw each other." CR4 looked embaressed.

"Oh. yeah. That. After our last encounter I fought my own programming and went looking for some" CR4 stopped and faked a cough "Under the table enhancments to my programming. No more running away from shadows for this Ranger" he said slapping his arm cannon on his chest. Ratchet nodded

"Glad to hear it, I assume you're heading to the Bridge for a briefing?" CR4 nodded as the transport docked at the other side. "Well then, let's go" Ratchet said walking off the Transport and onto the Bridge.

Ratchet stopped as he entered the Bridge. "What the?" He asked as he looked around the room.

"Ratchet sup man" Skidd said from the other side of the room as Ratchet entered. The rest of the Q-Force turned around at Skidds call. Ratchet walked towards the overlook.

"What are you all doing here?" he asked. Qwark said

"Well we decided to come back and give you a hand here on the phoenix" Ratchet looked over at Al

"When did you all get here?"

"Shortly after Sasha went into the DreadZone Wreckage looking for your cure" Al spoke up.

"give me a hand huh?" Ratchet rubbed his chin _"Nah I won't question it" _outloud he said

"Well it's great to see you all but don't we have a meeting" While pointing at Sasha and CR4 and the other Rangers in the corner. Sasha came foreward upon seeing Ratchet point.

"My Co-Commander does have a point, We have a meeting that we need to have done before we reach Daxx" Ratchet looked at Sasha as the Q-Force and the Rangers moved down to the Command Pit, and said in a whisper

"Daxx?" She nodded "We found out that some of the Noid's have taken over Nefariouses old facility there" Ratchet looked puzzeled.

"How'd they make it past Security" He asked "I went in fully armed and armored and nearly left in a body bag. Security is really tough there." Sasha nodded as she remebered how worried she had been about that mission and how she kept those feelings hidden.

_"Just like now" _She thought _"Keep it together girl" _She contiued "However the Noids did it, what matters is that they have. Now Noids are not the smartest creatures out there. So we need to get in there and clean them out before they do something stupid."

Ratchet and the Q-Force nodded, Sasha looked at Ratchet "Anything you wish to add Commander Ratchet?" Ratchet walked foreward replaceing Sasha on the over look. He instantly got nerveous

_"Man I never was good at talking to crowds" _"Well...Um....Like I said Daxx Faciltiy is heavely guarded...So...Uh....Be prepared" Ratchet backed away from the overlook as quickly as he could.

Sasha was stiffiling a giggle behind him. She moved foreward to the overlook again. "That's it, You all know what you're supposed to be doing, Get to it" Sasha turned around and walked off the bridge. Ratchet stood around for a moment trying to think what he should be doing before Clank reminded him

"We should check the Starfighter, It may have taken a beating in the DreadZone wreckage." Ratchet started to nod

"Wait, What? My ships HERE?" "Yes Sasha had it brought up." Oh...kay" Ratchet walked off the bridge.

He got on the Transport thoughts of maybe running a few loops around the Phoenix to warm up passing through his head. He didn't notice Sasha get on the Transport after him. At least he didn't, Till she walked up behind him and gave him a hug. Ratchet jumped "AH" as he turned around and saw who it was he smiled and returned the gesture.

"Glad to see you can handle the pressure of Command Ratchet" she said giggling "Yeah yeah" he rolled his eyes as he nuzzled against her, content to just stand there and be with her. The moment was stopped when they felt the transport dock. They parted ways at the hallway to the their rooms. Ratchet heading to his Starfighter and Sasha to her room. Ratchet was working on his starfighter when CR4 came up behind him.

"Hey Sarge" he called Ratchet looked up from his starfighter cockpit.

"Hey CR4" he said as he jumped out

"Just found out that you'll be leading my squad on the Daxx attack" He said as he walked up to Ratchet

"Sweet I get to see this new programming in action" Ratchet went back to working on his starfighter as CR4 walked off to find his squad. Ratchet was just finishing his preperations when he heard the alert that the Phoenix would be dropping out of it's warp. Ratchet braced himself against his starfighter as he felt the slight bump that signled they had dropped out. Suddenly he was flung to the floor of the deck by a much harder jerk. As he hit the floor Ratchet heard the Phoenix PA

"WARNING ENEMY FIGHTERS ARE ATTACKING HULL BREACH IN SECTOR 4 WARNING ENEMY FIGHTERS ARE ATTA-" the PA system droned out as Ratchet picked himself up off the floor and hopped into his Fighter.

"Allright Clank let's do this" Ratchet said as he closed the canopy and activated his thrusters. He spun the fighter around blasting out of the hanger bay towards the enemy.


	11. Fighting Over Daxx

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Outside The Starship Phoenix, Planet Daxx, Ratchet's Starfighter_

Ratchet felt his shields take a hit as soon as he left the hanger bay, Jerking his fighter to the left to avoid more hits, Ratchet activated his boosters to gain a little space so he could see what was going on. As he pulled a 180 he saw just what they were facing.

"Uh...Clank, How many missiles are loaded?" Clank was running diagnostics on the fighter. He didn't even look outside as he said

"Four, plus the Lasers are only half charged." Clank finished his diagnostic and looked up. "Why?" Ratchet just pointed out at the 18 Noid Drop ships attacking the Phoenix. "That is not good" Ratchet looked closer at the Phoenix

"It's getting worse, They are getting through the hull. They are boarding the Phoenix." Clank looked at him "Get CR4 on the vidscreen" Clank nodded setting up the connection. Ratchet blasted off towards the starfight to stop the noids.

"Yes Sarge?" Ratchet looked down at the screen.

"CR4 the Noids are using the hull breaches as landing bays, They are on the Phoenix right now, you got to stop them." Ratchet paused "Also check on Sasha for me." CR4 saluted

"Yes Sir." The screen went blank as the starfighter shook from a hit. Ratchet rolled to the right and primed a missile.

"_Target Lock"_ the computer announced. Ratchet pulled the trigger and sent the missile flying.....

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Inside The Starship Phoenix, In-route to Planet Daxx, Sasha's room, 10 Minuetes earler_

Sasha was sitting at her desk reading a report on the noids on Daxx when the soft chime alerted her to the Phoenix leaving warp. Sasha braced her self against her desk as she felt the soft jerk as the Phoenix dropped out of warp. Just as she stood up to go to the bridge she was thrown against the wall by a much harder jerk, She hit her head on the wall and blackness closed in. She was startled awake by the Phoenix PA

"WARNING ENEMY FIGHTERS ARE ATTACKING HULL BREACH IN SECTOR 4 WARNING ENEMY FIGHTERS ARE ATTACKING-"

_"HULL BREACH" _Sasha thought with alarm. _"Sector 4 is near by I should get out of here"_ As she went to the door it opened and a Galactic Ranger walked in. Sasha stopped as he stood in the doorway and saluted.

"CR4 Sir" he said "Ratchet sent me to check on you" She nodded,

"What do you know about the attack." she asked

"According to Ratchet the Noids are using the hull breaches as docking bays to get on board the Phoenix. My Squad is on the way to take care of them, But I broke off to check on you." She nodded again

"I'll help let me grab my weapon" She turned around and went to a small closet against the wall. She opened it and took out a small tube, She pressed a button and two laser shot out of the ends. CR4 looked at it. "I took it from some of those Ninjas that Nefarious sent onto the Phoenix a while back." He nodded

"Lets go then, My Squad has found the Noids" She gestured towards the door

"Lead the way" He nodded and ran out with her following.

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Outside The Starship Phoenix, Planet Daxx, Ratchet's Starfighter_

A explosion briefly lit the view as another of Ratchet's missiles blew away another Noid drop ship. Ratchet pulled up suddenly to avoid colliding with another ship.

"How we doing Clank" He asked as he dodged more fire. Clank was busy scanning with the sensors and monitoring the weapons and shields on the ship.

"We are down to our last missile, and the Lasers are down to a Twenty-Four percent charge. There are still 4 drops ships left, Not counting the ones inside the Phoenix" Another jolt shook the ship as a Noid ship landed some laser fire. "Shields down to fourteen percent, Ratchet we can't take to many more hits." Clank sounded worried. Ratchet pulled another snap roll

"I know Clank I'm thinking." Ratchet saw the last four Noid Ships heading for him. "Just got an idea, hold on Clank" Ratchet primed the last missile as he activated the boosters and sped towards the Noid ships. Ratchet launched the missile, outpacing it by a small amount.

"Clank get ready" he said through gritted teeth. Suddenly Ratchet pulled a 180 the G's pushing them back into their seats. The lead Noid ship having no idea the Ratchet had launched a missile never saw it until right before it hit. Blowing the ship apart and sending debris into its fellows, blowing them up as well. Ratchet hit the thrusters again his shields failing as the explosion and debris hit. Ratchet sighed as he cut the thrusters.

"That was fun" he opened a channel to Sasha. "Sash, I took out the fighters out here, Hows it going in there....."

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Inside The Starship Phoenix, Planet Daxx, Sector Four_

Sasha ran behind CR4 as he led her down another corridor.

_"Almost there"_ She thought activating the Ninja Sword. As she and CR4 rounder a corner she saw the the firefight going on between the 8 Galactic Rangers, all cowering behind something, And the 25 Noids firing at them. She put on a burst of speed as she heard CR4 shout

"STOP HIDING LIKE COWARDS LETS KICK THESE NOIDS OUT" to his squad. Sasha realized CR4 had actually ran past her as he shouted.

_"There's something off about the Ranger"_ she thought as she ducked a Noid blast. Sasha Cracked the offending Noid on the head with her staff. Putting a dent in his metal face and dropping him out of the fight. Sasha moved after CR4 as the rest of the Rangers hopped out from their cover and charged the ran fore ward and tripped a Noid taking aim at CR4, A swift hit to his back put him out of the fight.

Sasha felt something hit her in the side like a ton of bricks and throw her across the bay. As she recovered she looked up to see a three eyed Noid running towards her with his gun firing. Sasha rolled out of the way of the blasts and hopped up. She ran towards the Noid dodging his fire. As she got closer she swung her staff, The Noid blocked with his gun and drove his fist into Sasha's chin, sending her reeling back with stars in her eyes. She shook her head to clear them and ducked as the Noid swiped at her again, with his gun this time. Sasha drove the flat point of her staff into the Noids chest leaving a dent and sending it back a few steps. She then hopped up and smashed the staff into one of its eye stalks, breaking it off and sending the Noid back even more.

Sasha continued to hit the Noid with her staff, doing more and more damage. Sasha was about to swing the staff into its head again when it bent over and bull charged her, hitting her in the stomach and knocking the wind out of her while sending her back on her butt. Sasha looked up as the Noid raised its gun to shoot her, She flinched when it was blasted away by CR4 running up to help her. CR4 helped her onto her feet

"You okay sir?" he asked as Sasha rubbed her sore jaw, she looked at CR4

"Nothing a little Nano-Tech won't fix"' She glanced around the room. and saw all the debris from the busted Noids,

"Did you lose any of your Rangers?" she asked

"None" he replied "Me and my guys are the best"

_"Wow" _She thought impressed _"These guy's are good, although there is definitely something odd about CR4"_ Sasha went over to help the Rangers gather the Noids, Her wrist vid-screen started beeping. She opened the channel to see Ratchet

"Sash, I took out the fighters out here, Hows it going in there....." He trailed off as he saw her face "What happened?" he asked worried. she shrugged

"I got into a fight, that's all. So the Fighters are all gone?" He nodded concern still written all over his face. She sighed "Rat, I'm fine, really. Look, head down to Daxx and secure a landing area for the drop ship so I can send down CR4 and the others to help you." He nodded again before closing the connection. She looked up at CR4 "Reload and get on the drop ship, I want you planet side as soon as Ratchet has an LZ" CR4 nodded as he got his Squad heading out.

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Ratchet's Starfighter, Entering Daxx Atmosphere, Daxx Standard Time: 2:56 PM_

Ratchet tilted his ship into Daxx's atmosphere as he descended towards the pad he used last time.

"Are you sure that pad is still there Clank?" he asked as they got closer. Clank directed the scanners down.

"Yes Ratchet its there, but there are Noids as well. In fact they are all over the facility." Ratchet rolled his eyes as he said

"Great...Well we just need to clear a landing zone for the drop ship first." Ratchet slowed down as they entered sight line of the landing pad. Ratchet set the fighter to hover as he looked down. "Clank I don't think we'll be landing just yet, time for a jump." Ratchet activated a few switches on his control board. He grabbed Clank as the cockpit canopy opened. Ratchet hopped over the side of the cockpit as he summoned his Nitro Eruptor from his weapons room.

Ratchet aimed down and launched a bomb clearing an area for him and Clank to land in, as the shock wave hit them Ratchet swapped his Nitro Eruptor for his Shock Cannon. Ratchet landed gently thanks to Clanks thruster pack, he charged his Shock Cannon as the Noids took aim. Ratchet swung to the side releasing the trigger on his cannon and sending a swath of searing doom into the crowd of Noids, obliterating many of them.

Ratchet rolled to the side behind a rock as fire filled the area he was just standing in from the rest of the Noids.

_"Eight down, Four to go"_ Ratchet thought as he drew his Quantum Whip. He back flipped over the rock with a little help from Clank and swung his whip cutting one of the Noids in half and sending another one to the ground in a spark filled explosion from the Quantum Whips wave. Ratchet ducked the last two Noids fire and jumped into the air, he brought the whip to the ground with a giant crash, cutting the last two Noids in half vertically.

Ratchet looked around at the clearing, he nodded

"Good, All right Clank lets head behind here, there should be some room for the drop ship there." Ratchet hopped up the ledges to get a peak behind the landing pad.

"huh its clear, the rest of the Noids must be in the facility." Ratchet hopped onto the ledge and drew a signal flare and pointed it up, Ratchet pulled the trigger and a giant ball of light shot into the sky drawing the attention of the drop ship flying above him. Ratchet walked up to the small cliff as the drop ship got close and lowered its ramp. CR4 and his squad jumped out of the ship and saluted to Ratchet.

"Nice landing zone sir" CR4 said as he walked up to him.

"That was the easy part, the hard part will be getting into the facility and purging the Noids from it." Ratchet and the Rangers walked over to the landing pad. he looked over at CR4 "Any ideas on how to get in?"

CR4 looked at the facility "Well I do have one idea"  
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**_Afternote: Well this above is my first attempt at describing combat with words and not action. So if you think I missed something or just thought it was okay whatever. PLEASE review it and let me know. Since I plan on building further combat in the same manor._**


	12. Daxx: Infilatration

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Starship Phoenix Bridge, In Orbit Around Daxx, Daxx Standard Time 3:15 PM_

Sasha walked onto the bridge of the Phoenix after she had cleaned up after the fight below deck. She walked up next to Captain Qwark on the bridge overlook.

"Status report?" she asked the Q-Force on station. Skidd looked up from his console.

"Ratchet's on the camera thingy" Sasha looked at the vid screen.

"Skidd? There's nothing there"

"Woops" Skidd leaned over and pushed a button and Ratchet and CR4 appeared on the screen.

"It's about time Skidd" Ratchet said as the picture cleared.

"Ratchet, how are things down there" Sasha said interrupting what was sure to become an argument between the two. Ratchet focused on her

"I cleared out a landing area for CR4 and his squad, but we still don't think we can get into the facility. Not with how many Noids there are" CR4 spoke up "

Sir I have been studying the plans for the Daxx facility, and I think I have a way in." Ratchet looked up at CR4

"No way, I'm not going that way." Sasha raised her eyebrows at him.

"Ratchet, What's he talking about?" Ratchet looked back at Sasha "

No way Sasha, I've told CR4 'No' and I'm telling you 'No' I'm not going into that pipe" Sasha looked over at CR4

"What pipe?" CR4 pulled out a vid-creen that showed a green-print of the Daxx Facility they were outside of. A small pipe started flashing red,

"This pipe is an old toxic energy dump, it was active when Nefarious had control, but now that the Noids have taken over, It's virtually empty." Sasha narrowed her eyes.

"Virtually?" CR4 looked away,

"There _might_ still be some toxic waste running through it" Ratchet glared at him.

"Well why can't one of the Ranger go through the pipe?" CR4 looked back at her

"That sludge is acidic, and very potent, not even out metal can withstand it. With how full that pipe is, Ratchets the only one who could make it through un-harmed" Sasha looked back at Ratchet

"How? Ratchet bent down off screen and stood back up with his Magna-Boots and O2 mask snap on to his armor.

"With these, The metal in that pipe can be walked on with Magna-Boots, and the O2 snap on will let me make it through the smog. So basically I could just walk along the top." Ratchet glared at CR4 again "_THAT IS_ if the pipe is empty." Sasha nodded understanding Ratchets reluctance to enter the pipe

"If it's the only way, we have no choice, who knows what kind of tech the Noids have access to in there" Ratchet bowed his head.

"All right I'll do it for you" The vid-link closed. Sasha looked around the bridge, Daring one of the Q-Force to snigger at that last comment.

"Moniter your stations, Be ready for anything" Sasha turned around and walked off the Bridge.

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Planet Daxx, Outside Nefarious facility, Toxic Storage Area, Daxx Standard Time 3:50 PM_

Ratchet and CR4 stood outside the hatch the led to the toxic storage area and the pipe Ratchet was to walk through to access the Daxx Facility. CR4 leaned over and pulled open the hatch

"In you go, Sarge" he said as he stood back. Ratchet swallowed hard and gagged at the smell that came out of the hole. He snapped on his O2 mask, Ratchet spoke up, his voice muffled by the snap on.

"CR4 be glad you can't smell this stuff" Ratchet walked fore ward his Magna-Boots clanking as he reached the metal tank. Ratchet stood on the edge of the hole, he looked at CR4 "I'll get you for this CR4, count on it" With that Ratchet started clanking down the inside of the tank to the pipe with CR4 sniggering behind the hatch. CR4 closed the hatch after Ratchet's tail had disappeared down the hatch. He opened a vid-link to Sasha

"He's in the pipe sir" Sasha nodded as she was walking down the halls of the Phoenix to the bridge.

"Good keep me updated" She closed the vid-link _"Ratchet, be carefull" _She thought as she approached the transport to the bridge.

Ratchet gagged again when he got half way down the tank.

_"God this smells awful, the mask may let me survive. But it doesn't do anything about the smell. Shame Clank couldn't come, I could use somebody to talk to" _Ratchet chuckled to himself _"I'm walking inside a giant toxic storage tank and wishing I had somebody to talk to. Why is that so funny? Well at least the Phoenix gets to see what I see thanks to the Camera built into my helmet" _Ratchet saw the pipe he was supposed to use and headed towards it.

Back on the Phoenix, Sasha had just entered the bridge to take command, She headed over to look at the Vid-Screen.

"Is that the pipe CR4 was talking about" she asked pointing at the Vid-screen's link to Ratchets helmet.

"Sure is Sasha, uh, sir, dude" Skidd said from below. Sasha paid no mind to Skidd as she watched the Vid-Link, Just as Sasha was starting to think that Ratchet would pull this off she saw something that worried her.

"Uh-oh" she said aloud. "What's that?" she said pointing to a spot further down the pipe that looked like it might be blocking Ratchet's way.

Meanwhile in the pipe, Ratchet had seen the blockage and was moving closer to get a good luck.

_"Great..." _he thought to himself when he got closer, _"One of the power systems is still active and spilling gunk into this pipe" _Ratchet looked around the pipe to see if he could spot the source. _"There" _He thought as he saw a small side pipe that was spilling the gunk into his path. Ratchet looked around a bit more and noticed a spot where he would be able to walk past the spill. _"Ah, perfect" _he thought as he walked towards it, he was about to move fore ward when he noticed the pipe looked different from the rest. Sticking his foot over it he realized the gunk had corroded the metal and that his Magna-Boots couldn't get a grip on it. _"Oh, Perfect" _he thought to himself as he started at the corroded metal, _"I wonder if I could jump over that bit" _Ratchet looked below him to the spill _"Without sticking my head in that" _

On the Bridge of the Phoenix, Sasha followed Ratchets view with his camera and realized what he was thinking of doing.

"Oh, he woulden't" Sasha waited with baited breath to see what Ratchet was going to do. _"He's going to do it" _She thought to himself "Ratchet don't do it" she said before remembering that he couldn't hear her. _"Oh, Ratchet, Please don't" _Suddenly the view jumped as Ratchet hoped over the spot of metal he couldn't walk on. Sasha thought he had made it when the camera tumbled suddenly and cut to static. "RATCHET" Sasha screamed holding her hand towards the Vid-Screen

Back in the pipe Ratchet was staring upside down at his slowly melting helmet while holding the O2 mask over his face.

_"That was close" _he thought as he continued walking down the pipe. _"Better hurry through this, Sasha's going to be freaking out" _Ratchet started moving down the pipe as fast as he could towards the exit hatch that would let him into Nefariouses old facility. He turned the rusted old wheel on the door, cringing at the loud squeal it made. Finally Ratchet heard a thunk as the locks dropped into the door frame, and let Ratchet haul the door open. Ratchet walked into the room, thinking that his Magna-Boots could walk on this metal as well. He was wrong. Ratchet fell to the floor hitting with a very loud clang.

"Ooof" Ratchet picked himself up off the floor quickly "Crap that was loud, I better get out of hear before somebody comes to investigate" Ratchet closed the pipe door, which closed into place with a small thud, and hiss as the locks slipped back into place. He then flushed the airlock he was in, and opened the much more silent door to the facility, Slinking out and hiding behind some of the weird stone boxes that seemed to be everywhere as he heard some Noids approach. Ratchet glanced around as the Noids seemed to be talking to each other in front of the Airlock. Ratchet spotted a sign on the wall that pointed him to the door he need to open to let the Ranger's in, He sneaked off down the hall

Meanwhile back on the Bridge of the Phoenix, Sasha was frantic. she was down in the command pit trying to contact CR4.

"CR4" she yelled at the screen for the tenth time, "COME IN" finally CR4 appeared on the Vid-Screen. He started a salute

"Yes s-" Sasha intruppted him

"We lost contact with Ratchet, Get into the tank and find him" CR4 looked startled

"But Sir, The run-off-"

"I DON'T CARE FIND HIM" She yelled completely losing control and any of her will power to keep her feelings for Ratchet under wraps

Ratchet Had just found the heavy blast door he was supposed to open on his side of the facility. He took one look at the control panel pressed a few buttons and thought _"Clank could do this, Not me" _He shrugged _"Oh well, when all else fails" _He summoned his Omni-Wrench and smashed the panel, causing sparks and a loud bang. Plus the sound of the Heavy Blast door falling into its slot in the ground. Ratchet looked out into a group of Ranger's with his back to him. Curious Ratchet pushed through their legs until he saw what had their attention. He almost broke out laughing right then and there. A _Very_ dischevled Sasha was yelling at CR4 to get over his cowardly programming and go into the pipe after Ratchet. It was at the point that Ratchet was leaning over gasping for air that CR4 noticed him. He covered the Vid-Screen.

"Sarge?" Ratchet was still caught up in his silent laughter. "Sarge, Come on, Help me out here" Ratchet stumbled fore ward and lowered the Vid-Screen to his height. CR4 removed his hand

"Well it's about time you fac-" Ratchet was still snickering "Oh, Ratchet" Sasha quickly composed herself "Glad to see you made it though, You have a job to do I believe" She closed the vid-link. On the bridge Sasha was feeling very embarrassed, and hoping that her fur kept it covered long enough for her to make it off the bridge. Back on the ground Ratchet had just finished recovering from his laughter.

"How long has she been like that?" he asked CR4.

"Ever since she lost camera link with you Sarge." Ratchet shook his head

"Sorry about that, But like she said, We have a job to do. We should do it before the Noids notice that one of their doors is open"


	13. Daxx: Destruction

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Planet Daxx, Inside Nefarious facility, Data Storage Area, Daxx Standard Time 4:42 PM_

Ratchet and Ranger's moved slowly though the facility, trying not to alert the Noids to their presence. After  
they had landed they had decided that the only way to prevent the Noids from doing stupid in this place was  
to wipe all Data and eventually set the core to explode, so nothing could be salvaged. Their first objective was  
the Data, Get a copy, delete the main files at the Data Storage Area, then wipe the back-ups at the Emergency  
Power/Data Backup Area. After that they had to find a way to open the Core to them so the Rangers could plant  
a charge to blow the place away.

Ratchet looked warily around him, and in between all the servers and beeping machines. As did all the Rangers.  
If one Noid saw them and got away, it could call in the mass of reinforcements outside, and they would be  
quickly over whelmed. They all jumped as something clanged at the back of the room. Ratchet ran back  
there to check it out.

He tripped over the one eyed Noid as it ran past him. Ratchet skidded to a stop against the wall,  
as he stopped he threw his wrench after the Noid clipping it, and sending it flying into the Rangers  
who quickly and silently put it out of order. Ratchet picked himself up off the floor as CR4 came over with  
his wrench.

"That was a hell of a toss Sarge" Ratchet nodded as he grabbed his wrench

"Yeah but I'm not going to be doing that again" he said as they walked back to the Rangers.

"Why?" CR4 asked

"Because for some reason it disabled the magnet that brings my wrench back to me" Ratchet said  
as he walked up to the console that would give them access to the main Data Files.

Clank choose that moment to speak up from next to CR4.

"I don't understand why you couldn't carry me Ratchet" Ratchet looked down as his friend.

"Because my armor is still coated in that gunk from the tunnel, It would damage you." Clank walked  
by and used his helipack to get up on the console.

"I still think its cause you have gotten lazy"

Ratchet pointed a finger at his diminutive friend "Now listen here Clank-"

"I have begun to download the files" Clank interrupted his friend before he could make any threats.

Ratchet narrowed his eyes.

"Good, we'll finish this talk later Clank"

"I also believe I have found a way to open the core doors" Ratchet looked back at the Rangers, who

were starting to get nervous being in one place for so long.

"Good, also hurry up with that Data download" Clank unplugged himself from the computer.

"It is done" he said as he hopped down.

Ratchet nodded "Okay let's get out of here"

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Starship Phoenix, In Orbit Around Daxx, Daxx Standard time 5:05 PM_

Sasha was pacing the over look on the bridge again.

"Anything yet?" she asked again. One of the Rangers that replaced the Q-Force at stations spoke up.

"No, Sir"

Sasha sighed "Keep me updated"

"Yes, Sir" the Ranger saluted and went back to his console.

_"What's taking them so long? they should have made it into the Data Room by now." _Sasha looked up at the  
Vid-Screen which showed the heavy Noid presence outside the Facility. _"Well I he hasn't been spotted yet.  
Those Noids would be rushing inside the place if they were" _Sasha sighed again as she felt her tiredness  
attempt to take over again. _"No" _she thought stubbornly _"I won't rest until I _know _Ratchet and the Rangers  
made it into the Data Backup Room" _

Suddenly a beeping occupied the noise in the room.

"Sir" one of the Ranger's spoke up "We're getting a Data Transfer, They made it in and are up-linking  
the Data to us now" Sasha nodded

"Good" she sighed again "Commander?" she spoke to the Ranger sitting in the chair she was pacing in front of

"Yes, Sir?"

"I'm going to get some sleep, wake me up if anything happens" as the Ranger saluted Sasha walked past him and off the bridge.

_"Maybe I can catch a nap before they reach the core" _she thought as she got on the transport to the main hanger.

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Planet Daxx, Inside Nefarious facility, Emergency Power/Data Backup Area, Daxx Standard Time 5:10 PM_

"Hows that up-link going Clank" Ratchet shouted over the laser fire.

"Almost done Ratchet" Clank said as he ducked underneath the console he was using, another blast of  
plasma from the guns targeting him. Ratchet ducked as another plasma blast hit the crate he was hiding behind.

"Whoa" Ratchet ducked more as he felt the heat from the plasma wash over him.

"That was close" Ratchet poked his head up over the crate and unleashed a Plasma Storm blast back at one  
of the many turrets firing at them. Ratchet ducked back down as more plasma fire headed his way. He looked  
over at the Rangers pinned behind a separate stack of crates. Ratchet thought back to when they had entered  
the room.

_Ratchet, Clank, CR4, and the Rangers walked into the room. _

_"This is the correct room Ratchet" Clank said from the floor next to them. "I can plug in over there" Clank pointed  
to a bank of computers in the middle of the room. Ratchet nodded as Clank walked over to the computers.  
"I'm beginning the up-link to the Phoenix Ratchet. After the Data is transferred I will Erase the data. Then cause a  
feed back to the power core, which will open the blast doors and give us access to the it." Ratchet and the Rangers  
walked around the room as Clank uploaded the data. Suddenly the lights in the room flashed red and many slots  
in the celling opened, turrets dropping down from them. _

_"Uh....Ratchet....I think I may have tripped a security system" Ratchet looked at the turrets currently taking aim  
at himself and the Ranger's _

_"Ya think?" Then the plasma started flying and they ended up hiding behind the crates_

Ratchet took out another turret with his Plasma Storm.

"Ratchet the up-link is complete and the power surge is charging. We will only have five minutes after it  
hits the core before the system resets and the blast doors close." Ratchet nodded as he and the Rangers  
all popped out of cover and unleashed a flurry of blasts towards the still active turrets. After the smoke  
cleared, only two remained, which CR4 took out with a well placed Nitro Grenade.

Ratchet looked down at Clank as he clacked over to where they were

"How long till the power surge is charged and hits the core?"

Clank did some calculations in his head "Ten minuets"

Ratchet looked up at the Ranger's "Not a-lot of time"

CR4 nodded "We better get moving then" Ratchet and the Ranger's ran out of the room as fast as  
they could, heading for the core.

Ratchet and the Ranger's were heading down a hallway when they were ambushed by a bunch of four  
eyed alien commanders. Ratchet ducked as all eight of them opened fire at them. The Ranger's opened fire  
sending the commanders to cover. CR4 walked up behind Ratchet and pulled him down a side hallway

"Come on Sarge, my men will hold them off as long as possible. We'll get to the core this way, then you  
can cover me as I plant the Charge"

Ratchet nodded as CR4 grabbed Clank. "I think my armor has dried off enough now for Clank  
to ride with me" Clank hopped out of CR4's hand and onto Ratchet's back.

The two ran down the hall, encountering no resistance, seemed all the Noids were attacking the rest of the  
Rangers. They rounded a corner and approached a huge blast door. Ratchet and CR4 stopped in front of it.  
Ratchet tapped his wrench against it with his wrench and heard a very resounding thud.

"Wow that's thick, Clank how long till the power surge?"

Clank adjusted himself on Ratchet's harness, the gunk was irritating to his processor after all.  
"It should be happening-" The lights flickered and dimmed "Now"

the lights cut out all together, but the room was not dark. The door glowed with electricity running through it,  
filling the room with light. suddenly power flickered back on and the doors squealed open slowly.

Ratchet walked in and grabbed a radiation suit, before going over and pressing the switch to slide open the  
inner core door. It slid to the side revealing the power core. Housed in a large glass tube, the core was a  
medium white sphere that bounced around the tube. letting out small bursts of electricity which traveled up  
the tube and into a bunch of wires at the top. Oh and it was LOUD

Ratchet stood in awe at the core.

"Jeez" That thing is huge." he looked over at CR4 he was holding a small white charge in his hand "You sure  
that thing will blow it up" he yelled nodding at the charge. CR4 looked at him and shouted back

"Doesn't have to blow it up Sarge, just break the glass" CR4 pressed a button on the charge and it started  
to glow. He threw it at the glass where it stuck to it. "We better get out of here Sarge" CR4 yelled as he  
turned around.

"SARGE THE DOORS" Ratchet spun around to see the core's outer doors closing.

"COME ON" he yelled running for the door's. CR4 ran up behind him as the doors got closer together.

_"Were not going to make it" _Ratchet thought, suddenly he felt a solid force in his back and he went flying  
scraping his shoulders on the sides of the doors at they got even closer.

Ratchet landed with a thud on the other side of the door and picked himself up off the ground. He  
turned around to see CR4 on the other side of the door's.

"COME ON CR4" he shouted over the grinding of the doors. "Would never make it Sarge" CR4 waved to  
him. "It was nice to fight along side of you Sarge" CR4 looked down "I think that programming change  
something else inside me" CR4 looked back up "Something that said 'Get Sarge out" CR4 stared at Ratchet  
"Besides you got a life outside Sarge" The blast doors obscured most of CR4 from Ratchet's view. "I'm just a  
robot, See ya later Sarge" The doors thudded together and the locks slid in with a solid thud as Ratchet ran  
up and smashed his wrench with it. Ratchet put his hand against the door.

"Noo...." he moaned

"Ratchet, we should leave" Clank spoke up from behind. Ratchet stood up

"You're right Clank, Let's go" Ratchet turned around and ran down the corridor.

The Ranger's weren't faring well, they had only taken down two of the commanders, and they had lost half  
of their men. suddenly a bust of sniper fire took out the last of the commanders. Ratchet was standing down  
the hall still aiming his Splitter Rifle down the way.

"Come on" he shouted "The charge is planted and we need to get out of here" The Rangers stood up from  
behind cover and ran after Ratchet.

"Where's our commander?" Ratchet didn't answer as they kept running "Sarge?"

Ratchet stared ahead "He didn't make it" The Rangers looked down. they exited the facility running as fast as  
possible, they blasted by the Noids before they knew they were there.

Back on the Phoenix, Sasha had just woken up from her nap and entered the bridge. She was watching the  
facility from above. Suddenly a large explosion tore apart the middle of the facility, this was followed by a  
series of chain reactions. Each explosion tearing apart another part of the base. Sasha was beginning to  
wonder if the explosions would ever stop when a sudden white flash lit the screen before it split to static.

She looked over at the Rangers still on duty.

"Get me a Vid-Link to Ratchet, Now" the screen swapped from static to black. Nothing for a moment,  
then a blast of static followed by Ratchet's face.

"Ratchet" Sasha sighed "You made it" It was then that she noticed the crater behind him with a huge black  
cloud of smoke rising from it. "Wow, that must have been some explosion" He nodded "Wait, Where's CR4?"

Ratchet looked down. "He...didn't make it"

Sasha covered her mouth with her hand "Oh, I'm sorry Ratchet" He looked back up at Sasha "He sacrificed  
himself so that I could get out. We blew the place up though" Ratchet turned around and pointed at the  
smoking crater. Oblivious to the fact that Sasha had already noticed it. Sasha focused on Ratchet and the  
empty look his eyes had

"We won today Ratchet, CR4 won't be forgotten, and he will be honored, but we won" Ratchet nodded  
and closed the vid link.

Ratchet and Clank walked with the Ranger's back towards the landing area they had._ "'Besides you got a  
life outside Sarge' CR4's last words" _Ratchet thought_ "I won't ever forget them" _Ratchet climbed into his  
star fighter and took off to the Phoenix, the drop ship taking off shortly after them.  
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_**AfterNote: Any of you that saw my previous AN ignore it. It was written during one of my depressions. I plan on finishing this :P**___


	14. Break

_**ForeNote: Right well Its been a month since I submitted this. I uploaded this chapter because I started  
poking around my Control Panel. Noticed the Traffic tab clicked it for kicks and giggles and much to  
my surprise I had 600+ Hits. Considering that I was expecting maybe a 100 something views and  
a few reviews telling me to gtfo ffnet. So sweet :D. Enjoy chapter 14.**_

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Starship Phoenix Lounge, In-route to Resupply Station-Marcadia, The Next Day_

Ratchet, Sasha, and Clank were relaxing in the lounge of the Phoenix, Ratchet was telling Sasha what had  
happened during the mission, How CR4 got him out before the doors closed.

"and then he just said that I have a life, and he was just a robot. The door's closed and I assume he went  
and watched the core explode" Sasha put her hand on Ratchet's shoulder.

"You're going to miss him, right?"

Ratchet nodded "He was a one of a kind Sash. If we had more Ranger's like him, They wouldn't need us."

Sasha leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder "Rat....They need people like us for a reason.  
To do the things that only other organics can do. You know that"

Ratchet leaned his head on hers "I know Sash, I know." He sighed "Well at least I get to see you" She  
giggled and kissed him, they broke apart as Clank made a snort like noise. Ratchet looked over at his  
robotic friend standing on the table. "What's so funny?"

Clank pretended to brush some dust off his chest "Oh....Nothing" He jumped off the table and walked  
out of the room, Ratchet and Sasha peering over the back of the couch to watch him.

"Well, that was odd" Sasha nodded as a soft chime sounded. Ratchet and Sasha braced themselves  
against the couch as the small jerk that announced they had dropped out of the warp.

Sasha stood up. "Come on, Commander Ratchet" she giggled again "I think we earned some vacation  
time." She grabbed him and pulled him up off the couch and towards the elevator to the launch bay.

"what th-" Ratchet put his feet under him and started walking next to Sasha. "Marcadia, to see your  
dad right?" She nodded "Okay, Well....Race ya" Ratchet took off running leaving Sasha stunned for a  
few moments before she ran after him. Ratchet ran onto the elevator and turned around to see  
Sasha jump into the car as the doors closed.

He chuckled "If you're nice, I'll let you drive" he said poking her in the side. She giggled again, she  
seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

_"I'll have to get better control over my emotions" _She thought as the elevator took them up to Ratchet's  
starship. Or so he thought

"Computer, stop elevator here" The car jerked at the sudden stop.

Ratchet stepped out into a hanger he believed was right below his. His jaw dropped as he laid his  
eyes on the ship that was sitting alone in the hanger. "Whoa...."

The ship was about twice as big as Ratchet's starfighter, a dark crystal blue ran around the cock pit  
canopy, followed by a much calmer ocean blue for the rest of the of the ship. the wings were  
shaped like giant bird wings, the cockpit slanted like a birds beak as well. it had four booster  
engines on the back designed for speed, and the landing gear looked like bird claws. Over all there  
was only one thing that Ratchet could think it matched to.

"It....looks like a....Phoenix" he said as he walked up and ran a gloved hand over the smoothed  
booster wing engraved to look like Phoenix feathers. Sasha walked up to the cockpit and slid open  
a panel hidden in the engravings.

"Yeah, had it custom built, my one vain moment" she smiled at him. "A ship like a Phoenix for the  
Captain of the Phoenix" she punched in a code and the canopy slid open, as well as a ladder being  
exposed from the engraving. Ratchet stepped back as one of the ladder rungs slid out next to him

"Whoa, you hid everything on this ship, didn't you?" he asked as he looked at her.

She nodded as she climbed the ladder. "Oh, and hotshot?"

He looked up at her again "Yeah?"

"What makes you think I'll let you drive?" she smiled at him as she flipped up over the last rung  
and landed in the pilot's seat. Ratchet grinned as he ran around to the other side to the passenger  
ladder.

"Oh come on, just a little bit" he said as she closed the canopy after him, he shot her his cutest  
face possible. "Please?" he whined as he blinked his eyes and fluffed his fur, trying all he could to  
look cute. She giggled at him

"We'll see" she said as she activated the lifters and turned the ship around.

Ratchet was still in aw over Sasha's ship when they entered the atmosphere of Marcadia he  
didn't even feel the bump.

"Wow this thing must handle great" he figured he would try one more time. "Can I fly it, Please?"  
he asked one more time as he shot her his cute look again.

She laughed at him "No way Ratchet, we're landing in a few moments anyway" he sighed and  
looked dejected. She looked over at him again and giggled. _"He's so cute when he pouts" _she  
thought to her self as she began the landing sequence. The landing was uneventful, she set her  
ship down on the presidental landing pad on top of the presidental compound. She shut down  
the engines and opened the canopy as her dad came out of the elevator to the roof.

Ratchet ducked down "Can I stay in the cockpit?" he asked as he avoided her fathers eye.

She giggled when she saw his face "No, Come on Ratchet, let's go" he sighed as he hopped over  
the side of the cockpit to the ground. Sasha climbed down from her side and went up to her  
father, giving him a hug. She failed to noticed the glare he shot Ratchet as he stood back from  
them. As she broke off the hug he looked back down at his daughter with love.

"So" he started "What's it take to bring the hero's down to the presidential compound?"

Sasha looked over at Ratchet "We just wanted to see you dad" she said as they headed for  
the door, Ratchet hanging back.

Her dad looked down at her "....and...?" he asked.

She blushed under her fur. "And, Maybe for me and Ratchet to get some alone time"

Her dad snorted "as if" under his breath.

She looked up at him "What did you say?"

Her father waved his hand "Oh...Nothing"

Sasha cocked her eyebrow at him _"That can't be good" _she thought to herself.

They reached the elevator and walked in, Ratchet standing as close to the wall as he could,  
and as far away from Sasha's dad as possible.

Sasha stifled some giggles at his behavior. _"He acts so scared of him, It's funny really" _she  
stifled a giggle again.

Her dad looked down at her. "What's so funny?" The elevator pinged to a stop and the doors slid  
open.

"Oh...Nothing" she replied as she walked out of the elevator, Ratchet trailling behind her. Her  
Dad shook his head as he followed them down the hall.

They stopped in front of a two wide double doors

"Sasha here's your room"

Ratchet looked around for another door, there were none. "Uh..Excuse me...Mr. President?"

Sasha's dad looked down at Ratchet with a smug look "Yes?"

"heh...heh....wheres my room?" Ratchet asked.

The galatic president smiled as he pointed down the hall. "Four halls down and past three  
security check-points" he said with a smile.

"Dad" Sasha said as she lightly slapped him on his side.

He looked back over at his daughter "Yes?"

She smiled at him as she grabbed Ratchets arm "Actually me and Ratchet will be sharing a  
room" She pulled suddenly on Ratchets arm and dragged him into the room, closing and  
locking the door as her dad spluttered "NO WAY" outside.

"You sure that was such a good idea?" Ratchet asked jerking his thumb over his shoulder at  
the door where her Dad was pounding to be let in.

Sasha stepped fore ward and grabbed Ratchet, "Why not? I said we would get some alone  
time didn't I?"

Ratchet smiled up at Sasha as he grabbed her and held her tight "You did"

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Orxon Factory, Orxon, 2 months ago_

Nefarious stormed into Drek's office, as Drek stood staring outside at the probe that was poking around.

"DREK" Nefarious very well screamed "YOU SAID WE WOULDN'T BE NOTICED"

Drek barely glanced back at Nefarious. "I was wrong it seems." he closed the view screen as the probe got  
closer. Drek walked around to his desk and sat down. "It makes little difference anyway, Our army is built,  
The ships are ready, We could leave right now and still win."

Nefarious looked at him "...But?" He prompted

"But after our defeats at the hand of Ratchet, I think we need a Trump Card"

Nefarious rubbed his chin "Trump Card huh? I like the way you think" Nefarious said as he pointed at Drek.  
"What do you have in mind?"

Drek just looked on "Well first off, If my spy's are right there's a certain Cezar the Ratchet cares for." Drek said  
as he drew a picture out of his pocket and laid it on the table.

Nefarious picked it up "Eww...This thing?"

Drek nodded "Fine, I'll send out some of our robots to get her"

Nefarious turned around. "Not so fast." Nefarious stopped

"It wont be that easy"

Nefarious turned around "And why not?"

Drek simply looked at him "Because she is the Captain of the Starship Phoenix"

Nefarious froze "Interesting...Still possible, we can use our new commando robots. I'm sure a squad of fifty will  
be able to handle it"

Drek nodded as he got off the desk and headed for the door "True, But we would need a distraction to lure  
Ratchet away. There is also another part of the the Trump Card plan. One that involves you."

Nefarious looked down at him as they walked out of the office "Do tell"

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	15. Shadows

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Star ship Phoenix Bridge, In-route to Orxon, Present time_

_"Life is good" _Ratchet thought, _"That vacation was just what I needed" _He looked around the bridge at the  
Rangers stationed there. Sasha had left him in control for the night shift of the Phoenix as they were flying to  
Orxon. Ratchet felt his mood sour. _"Orxon" _he thought _"Nasty Place, Can't believe some body is there using the  
factories" _

The report had come in one week ago, from one of their scouting droids. It had found extreme amounts of  
toxic junk in the air of Orxon. More so then normal, after it had scouted around it stumbled upon a factory that  
had been active recently. This would have been no big deal. More of a curiosity really, if it hadn't been one of  
Drek's old robotic production factories, and if it hadn't been of a number of similar report from over the past  
two months.

So now Ratchet, Sasha, Clank, The Q-Force, and of course the Galactic Rangers. Were in route to Orxon to  
check it out. If somebody activated that factory they could make a Robotic army. Something the Galactic Senate  
couldn't allow, Not after Drek. Basically they had got a frantic call that one of Drek's old factories had been  
active and that they wanted the Phoenix to check it out. So now they found them selves on a three day trip to  
Orxon. Ratchet cursed 

_"Why couldn't this wait till we got the warp drive over hauled?" _He thought to himself. Now  
instead of being able to spend time with Sasha. She and He were divided on the day and night shift crews,

"Just in case" her father had said when he told them that. Ratchet snorted _"As if" _

Ratchet had been watching the green ball of Orxon get closer every night. _"We'll reach it soon, Better get some  
rest" _

Ratchet stood up "I'm cutting out for tonight, Let me know when we reach Drop ship range of Orxon."  
The Rangers on station nodded as Ratchet turned around and walked off the bridge. He entered his room and  
laid down on the bed. Intent to catch some sleep before he had to lead the search party on Orxon. He had  
forgotten just one little thing, Him and Sasha were sharing a room.

"Ooofffhh" She muttered as Ratchet hitting the bed bounced her up. She opened her eyes sleepily "Ratchet?"  
She nudged her already sleeping boyfriend. "Ratchet?" she said again poking a little harder, still nothing.  
She sighed _"It's no use, He out for a while. Wonder why he came to bed so early?" _She got off the bed, Her time  
for sleep was over it would seem. That bed as not made for two. Sasha went around the room and got ready.  
Putting on her Captains uniform and getting her weapons. She walked out of the room Twenty Minuets later,  
Ratchet still snoring. She chuckled as she closed the door. _"My he can sleep" _

Sasha walked onto the bridge after she had gotten some breakfast. "Report?" she asked the Rangers on duty.

"Sir, Sarge just left to get some sleep for the Orxon raid" The ranger who told her this stood up and saluted as  
he talked. Sasha nodded her head

_"That explains Rat hitting the bed early" _She looked up at the Ranger "Whats our ETA till we reach Orxon?"

The ranger consulted a screen "Five hours Sir"

"Hmm, Very well, I'll be taking over  
from here on out. I suggest if any of you are to be part of the Orxon _Search_" she stressed this last word. "I  
suggest you go and prep for it. Orxon is a nasty place, even for robots." Two Rangers stood up and left the  
bridge.

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Five hours later, Star ship Phoenix main hanger, In Orbit above Orxon_

Ratchet stood with his Ranger squad as they all got ready to descend into the smog of Orxon. The Phoenix  
was on high alert. Something had triggered the sensors as they were entering orbit from a near by asteroid  
cluster, That had put everybody on high alert. Ratchet looked around at the busy hanger bay. He turned to face  
his men.

"Everybody ready?" he asked

"Sir, yes Sir" twenty-five rangers answered.

He nodded as he snapped on his O2 mask. "All right then" his voice muffled he pointed at the drop ship "Let's GO!"

The Ranger ran onto the drop ship as Ratchet leaned down and grabbed Clank's arm, Slapping him to his back.  
Ratchet looked back over his shoulder "Ready Clank?"

"I am ready Ratchet" Ratchet nodded as he climbed up the closing Drop ship  
ramp. Everybody cleared out of the bay as the drop ship turned around and blasted towards Orxon.

Sasha stood on the Bridge watching the dropship enter Orxon's atmosphere _"Good luck Hotshot" _She thought  
to her self _"Be careful" _

Ratchet grabbed the side of the drop ship as it shook again. The atmosphere apparently didn't like the drop  
ship. As it was bucking them around as they headed for the Factory. Ratchet stared ahead at the door grimly  
anticipating any fight they might run into.

Little did Ratchet know but he wouldn't be fighting on Orxon, Not yet at any rate. In fact unknown to any of  
our hero's. The asteroids that were floating calmly near the Phoenix, were actually prototype stealth ships that  
housed Drek and Nefarious's new battle droids, and that they had found that their target had come to them. the  
droids prepped their weapons as they activated the thrusters that would move them slowly towards the Phoenix,  
and their objective. The lead Commando Droid primed the weapons on their ships and heard the gentle beep  
that signified a signal lock. It turned it's head to look at the other droids in the ship

"Jam their communications" It growled at them. It turned it's head back towards the targeting screen. "This will be  
fun" It said as several of the other droids laughed. The commando droid pressed the trigger and watched two  
missiles arc towards the Phoenix.

Meanwhile back on Orxon, the drop ship had just made landing outside the factory. Ratchet was first out of the  
drop ship, jumping off the landing ramp before it was even fully down. Ratchet stood next to the ramp as it finished  
lowering and the Rangers piled out. Ratchet summoned his Duel Raptors from the Phoenix. "Glad you loaded the  
Dread zone weapons Clank" Ratchet said to his buddy on his back. Ratchet and the Rangers moved towards the  
factory, staying on alert for anything odd.

As they neared the factory doors they saw that they were bolted closed. "Sarge I thought that these doors were  
all open"

Ratchet nodded "So did I" Ratchet looked over at the Rangers "Any ideas?"

one of the Ranger held up a Nitro Charge "Would this work Sarge?"

Ratchet looked at him "Save it, I got a better idea"

Inside the darkened factory several attack droids waited for the Ranger squad to enter. Their weapons were primed  
and they were ready to prove them selves. They ducked behind cover when a huge bang sounded and a dent  
appeared in the doors. Suddenly another loud BANG echoed through the factory and door were blasted out of their  
hinges.

Ratchet walked fore ward still holding his Leviathan Flail at the ready. The Ranger followed aiming their guns at all the  
shadows where something might be hiding.

"...Sarge?" One of the Rangers spoke up. Ratchet stopped and and turned around. The lights in the factory turned on  
suddenly and a brand new blast door dropped down over the main door. Blast doors continued to drop down over  
every conceivable exit. Giant fans began to extract all of the toxic air.

"I have a bad feeling about this Sarge" The ranger finished over the humming of the fans. Ratchet looked around at  
the suddenly clean aired factory. He took off his O2 mask as a door opened on the top floor.

Ratchet looked up at the top floor and gasped. "No...."

_**AfterNote: Oh noes, Cliff Hanger.....Sorry :P**_


	16. First Blood

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Back on the Phoenix things weren't going well.

"Find out where those missiles came from!" Sasha ordered as she activated the shields. _"Where in the hell  
did those come from?" _She wondered as she ordered a damage report from a near by Ranger.

"Sir, The missiles were of unknown type. They blew a hole in the main docking bay. We repressurized it, but  
we can't close the emergency doors. Something is jamming it apparently."

Sasha nodded "And the missles? Where did they come from?"

The ranger looked back down at his Vid-Bored. "The trails appeared to have come from the asteroid cluster  
behind us"

Sasha opened her scanner and focused them behind the Phoenix. "Uh-oh"

The ranger walked up behind her "What is it, sir?" On the screen thruster trails had just erupted from the asteroids.

"Those aren't asteroids, Those are ships" She turned around to the Ranger behind her. "Get as many Rangers  
as you can to the main docking bay. We're about to be boarded. NOW!" The Ranger ran off the bridge to collect  
his fellows. The Q-Force ran in at that moment. Sasha looked over her shoulder "Get to your stations, and get  
in touch with Ratchet. We need him up here Pronto"

Al Nodded "I'll get right on it"

Back in the factory, Ratchet was crouching low to the floor and had his fur standing on edge. "Drek..." he growled.

Drek looked down at Ratchet. "Hello again Ratchet"

Ratchet growled low in his throat again "How did you survive the Planetary Annihilator?"

Drek laughed as he walked the length of the gangplank "Luck Ratchet, Pure Luck. I managed to activate the robots  
escape pod and I have been here ever since"

Ratchet looked around at the restored factory. "I don't believe it Drek, There's no way you did all this by yourself"

Drek nodded "True I had help, A Friend of yours in fact"

Clank spoke up "Who?"

Drek laughed again and Ratchet got a full view of his face "Whoa, That's some burn."

"Yes it is, and Clank, That would be telling. It doesn't matter, Soon you'll be dead."

Ratchet looked around the room and saw nothing "I'll kill you first Drek" Ratchet said as he drew his Splitter Rifle  
and took aim at Drek. "I'll magnify that burn of yours" Drek laughed again.

Ratchet was startled when something grabbed his Splitter Rifle and yanked it out of his hand "What the-" Ratchet  
stumbled back as the thing that grabbed his Splitter Rifle smashed it between its hands. Ratchet stared at the attack  
droid. It was pure black and stood about a half a foot taller then him, The thing was Blarg shaped and had a huge  
blaster strapped to its hip. Ratchet swung his wrench at the droid, It clanged off with out even making a mark. Ratchet  
felt the vibration from the wrench flow up his arm. "Ahh" He exclaimed as he dropped his wrench. Ratchet drew his  
Shock Cannon and pulled the trigger. The blast fired but the droid back flipped over the blast and landed thirty feet away.

"What th-" Drek was laughing again "Like my new battle droids Ratchet? I believe there are enough in this factory to keep  
you and your-" Drek smiled "-Squad, occupied" Ratchet glared as Drek as he walked back towards the office he had come  
out of "Have fun Ratchet" he said as the door closed behind him. Ratchet glanced around the room at the five other robots  
stepping out from the shadows.

"This, Is not good Ratchet" Clank said

"Ya think? If we got trapped I bet the Phoenix is having trouble as well. We need to get out of here and back up to her"

Ratchets words were an understatement, The Phoenix was having more then trouble, It was in red-alert mode. Every single  
light in the place was flashing red and alarms were blaring. Sasha and the Q-Force were watching the battle taking place in  
the main landing bay, while trying to get in contact with Ratchet. The 'astoroid' ships had landed inside the bay five minuets  
ago. The Rangers had been firing at them ever since, but nothing seemed to be working. Suddenly steam erupted from the  
front of the asteroids, the Rangers stopped firing as the rocks hissed. The Rangers looked at one another as landing ramps  
lowered.

Black blurs blasted out of the landing ramps. They hit any Ranger foolish enough to be poking his head out. Any of the  
Rangers they hit were turned to scrap. Sasha stared at the destruction taking place inside the landing bay.

"Slow that down" she said to Al pointing at one of the blurs on the camera. "What's that?" she asked pointing at the black  
robot that had zoomed out of the asteroid ships.

Al scratched his head "Dunno never seen anything like them" Sasha watched as the blurs bounced around the bay destroying  
her Ranger force.

Suddenly the bridge shook violently throwing them all to the deck. Sasha picked her self up "What was-Oh" Sasha stared out  
at one of the Asteroid ships that was slowly melting through their shield. "Get Ready, Hull breach" Sasha felt a popping inside  
her ears as the air difference hit her. The ship was through, It lowered its landing ramp. Before Sasha could draw any of her  
weapons five things happened.

A blur shot out hitting Skidd in the chest and sending him flying into the wall knocking him out. A blue blast hit Al's tanks blowing  
them up and sending him flying knocked out as well. Another brighter blue blast hit Helga and she shut down. Qwark fainted as  
the blurs came to a stop around him. Then Sasha realized that she was surround and disarmed by all five of the Droids. Sasha  
spun around trying to find a way out.

"You're coming with us" one of the droids said as it reached for her.

"No Way" She lashed out kicking it in the chest. But all that rewarded her was a sore foot and the droids laughing at her. The  
one behind her smashed her over the back of the head with its gun and Sasha knew no more.

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_**AfterNote: All right some news for those of you who pay attention to this story. Technically the story is  
done. I'm just got to proof read it and maybe send it to my beta-reader. Sometime next week is when  
the final chapter will be up, and maybe more....**_


	17. MIA

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_Orxon, Drek's old factory, Main assembly line_

Ratchet ducked another of the Droids blue blasts, He returned fire with his Duel raptors, but they seemed to  
have no effect on it, Just like all his other weapons. It had come down to him hiding behind objects as he  
dodged fire from the six droids. His Ranger force had been destroyed seconds into the fight.

Clank choose that moment to speak up "Ratchet I am detecting a distress signal from the Phoenix"

_"SASHA" _Ratchet thought. "Screw this" Ratchet dropped his Duel Raptors and activated the display on his  
Gagetron Weapon Selection System, attached to his wrist. He ducked more blasts as he scrolled to his  
heavy weapons.

As Ratchet summoned his selected weapon Clank asked"Are you sure?"

Ratchet nodded as he braced himself "We don't have time to wait, Clank. The Phoenix needs our help, now" _  
"Not to mention Sasha" _Ratchet thought to himself. "ALL RIGHT YOU DROIDS, SUCK THIS" He shouted as he  
pulled the trigger. Several White objects shot out of the front of the green cannon and blasted through the  
roof leaving holes through out it. The droids were staring at the white objects and failed to noticed the  
holographic targets surround them. Suddenly giant blue beams blasted down through the roof obliteration  
the driods and half the factory. Ratchet rolled away from the blast of heat, dropping his Super Nova in the  
process. After the smoke cleared Ratchet lifted his head up staring at the glowing blue craters where the  
droids used to be.

"Ha" Ratchet said as he stood up and ran out "That worked" He jumped on the drop ship and told the  
Ranger pilots to head for the Phoenix. _"Hold on Sash, I'm Coming" _

Ratchets heart nearly stopped as he laid eyes on the Phoenix

"Oh....no" The Phoenix had multiple holes all over, smoke pouring out of most of them. Her shields were  
flickering from low charge, and her engines were smoking. But what really tore at his heart was the hole in  
the Bridges window. "No...No....No....No No No No" Ratchet ran up to the cockpit "Get us in there now!" The  
drop ship activated its thrusters and flew into the Main hanger bay. Ratchet ran to the back of the drop ship  
and opened the landing ramp before the ship had stopped moving. Ratchet dropped off the landing ramp  
and into the carnage below.

"Dear Lord" Ratchet muttered as he looked around the room at the blaster scorch marks and the annihilated  
Rangers. Ratchet took off running towards the Transport to the Bridge. "SASHA" He shouted as he ran, just  
in case he thought. Ratchet hopped abroad the transport, The thing wouldn't move fast enough for him.

"Come on, Come on" Ratchet muttered during the whole trip. The transport thudded to a stop and Ratchet  
ducked underneath the door before it had even finished opening. He ran up to the door to the bridge to find  
that they had sealed. Ratchet stuck his hands into the crack and started to force them open. _"No power to  
hold them close, REALLY not good" _He thought as he finished opening the door. Ratchet ran into the bridge  
"SASHA" he yelled again. Ratchet came to a stop ontop of the bridge overlook. "Oh....No" Ratchet looked  
around at the Q-Force laying about in various states.

Ratchet walked over to Al, It looked like the tanks he had on his back had exploded. Covering his back in burns.  
Ratchet set him down so he wasen't lying on his back anymore. he looked up and spotted Skidd, He ran over to  
him and studyed him._"Looks like his Arm is broken and dislocated" _He thought to himself. Ratchet looked over at  
Helga, Her eyes were flickering with half power. _"They must have EMP'ed her" _Finally Ratchet moved onto  
Captain Qwark.

He snorted. "What is it Ratchet?" Clank asked from his back

"This coward fainted." Ratchet stood up and looked around the bridge. "Clank..."

Clank dropped from Ratchets back. "I know Ratchet, It appears that their goal was to take Sasha captive."Ratchet  
fell to his knees.

The two Galactic Ranger Pilots walked in. "You okay Sarge?" they asked as they came to a stop behind them. Ratchet  
looked up, He spotted a light blinking on one of the few consoles still working.

"Whats that" he said as he ran over to it. "Its an incoming messege" Ratchet pressed the button as the Rangers and  
Clank walked up behind him.

Static appeared on the Vid-Screen for a few minuets before it started to clear. "Sa-" Ratchet started as a voice came  
out of the static. the static disappeared suddenly and the Galactic President appeared.

"Sasha! Why haven't you been answering? We received your distress beaco-" It was then that he noticed he was yelling  
at Ratchet. "You, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY DAUGHTER?!" He shouted at the screen spit from his mouth hitting  
the screen. Ratchet reared back.

"I haven't done anything to her, If i had been here I could have stopped it." Ratchet leaned fore ward and pointed his  
finger at the screen. "SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE STOP YELLING AT ME AND MAYBE WE CAN FIND SASHA" Ratchet  
stopped and lowered his head as he realized he had just shouted at the most powerful person in the galaxy. "You're  
not the only one who loves her sir" He said in a whisper. After several minuets of silence Ratchet looked back up at  
the President.

"Maybe you're good enough after all, We'll get all of our scanners going"

Ratchet nodded, "You need to send a repair crew to the Phoenix, Shes not going anywhere for a while, and I'm  
taking my Star fighter to track down whatever attacked the Phoenix." Ratchet leaned against the console "Oh and  
Sir? Drek is back" Ratchet closed the channel and turned around to face the Rangers. "Watch the ship" he said pointing  
at them. They saluted as Ratchet grabbed Clank and ran off the bridge to his star fighter.


	18. Torture

_**Forenote: One little swear word ahead, just so you know**_

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Unknown_

"Ugh..." Sasha blinked her eyes and squinted against the light shining into them. "Ugh....My head..." She  
moaned. Sasha mind was still befuddled from the hit over her head. _"Hit?" _Sasha opened her eyes and  
flinched at the light, That's when she realized that she was stuck to the wall with energy binders. "Ah"

"She's awake sir"

_"That voice!" _Sasha raised her head and squinted through the light. _"It's one of those droids that attacked the  
Phoenix" _Sasha tried to focus through the light. _"Who's he talking to?" _Pictures of Ratchet floated through her  
mind _"Rat....Please be okay, I have a feeling we weren't the only ones ambushed" _She coughed her throat dry

"Thirsty?" Sasha froze. The light shut off and Sasha was able to take in her surroundings. She hardly dared  
draw a breath as she spotted the blue form of Dr. Nefarious staring at her. His body was cloaked in  
shadows but his head was visible. Something was off about him though.

Sasha studyed him for a moment. "What are you staring at Squishy?" he asked with distaste

"You seem...Different"

Nefarious regarded her for a moment. "I wont need to tell you anything Squishy, It doesn't matter for you  
anyway, You're just bait."

_"Bait?! That means they want...." _"She thought "What do you want with Ratchet? Revenge?"

Nefarious nodded "We'll do whatever it takes to get it too" Nefarious leaned fore wards towards her, she  
drew back as far as she could, bound the way she was. "Even if it means killing you"

Sasha looked away from him "Leave Ratchet alone, He's been through enough"

Nefarious lowered his jaw in a smile "That will just make this all the sweeter" Nefarious brought his hand  
fore ward, he was holding a syringe. Sasha struggled against her bonds as Nefarious moved the syringe  
closer to her neck. "Don't struggle, It will just make the pain worse" Nefarious jabbed the syringe into her  
neck. Sasha gasped at the prick. As Nefarious injected her she felt a burning pain flow from her neck and  
through the rest of her body. "Now, You must have some way to contact Ratchet"

Sasha whined as the pain burned trails of white agony through her mind. Nefarious held up another  
syringe. "You want the pain to stop, You'll tell me what I want to know" Sasha moaned again.  
Nefarious frowned at her. "I guess I'll just sit here and let you suffer. We have plenty of time."

Sasha opened her mouth "Please....end the pain" she moaned.

Nefarious chuckled "You want me to end the pain? You know what you need to tell me" Sasha began to  
pass out. "Looks like you're not as tough as everybody thinks. Shame, we'll just have to do this again" As  
her mind retreated into unconsciousness one thought ran through her head

_"Ratchet...Help....me"_

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In-Route to Marcadia, Ratchet's Star fighter_

Ratchet gripped the controls of his star fighter so hard Clank thought that they would break.

"Ratchet, you must calm down"

Ratchet glanced over at Clank "How can I be calm Clank? Sasha is missing"

Clank looked fore ward "It still doesn't help to be unfocused like this"

Ratchet eased up on his grip on the controls "Your right Clank, As usual" Ratchet stared back out the window

"So why are we heading to Marcadia?"

Ratchet looked back at him. "We're linking up with Sasha's dad to help with the search" Clank nodded "Why  
would Drek kidnap her Clank?"

Clank thought about it "Maybe because it's known that you two are going out. Perhaps Drek is looking for  
leverage. I'm sure he wants revenge for what we did long ago. Perhaps Sasha is leverage just in case he  
can't beat you with whatever he has planned"

Ratchet nodded "Makes sense"

Ratchet activated his Warp drive slamming them back into their seats for the last jump to Marcadia.  
Ratchet stared ahead into the darkness. _"Hang on Sash" _he thought again.

Ratchet's ship blasted straight down to Marcadia to land on top of the Presidential Compound. He opened  
the top and grabbed Clank as he hopped over the side. Running over to the elevator, he slammed his fist  
into the button, cracking its case. The elevator couldn't get to the top fast enough. Was everything in the  
galaxy moving slow just to torment him? The elevator finally dinged to the top, and Ratchet ran in, eager  
to get in contact with Sasha's dad.

_"Wow" _he thought as the elevator moved down to the command bunker below the compound. _"Never  
thought I would want to see Sasha's Dad after we started dating" _

The doors slid open and Ratchet looked up at Sasha's dad who was apparently waiting for him.

"Ratchet, Took you long enough. We got something you need to see." Sasha's Dad walked down the small  
hallway with Ratchet following behind him. They stopped in a giant room with vid-screens everywhere and  
Rangers manning the consoles.

Ratchet studyed the Galatic President for the first time since his report on Sasha being kidnapped. He looked  
ragged and had red eyes like he had been crying.

"Sir? This 'thing' you want to show me. It has to deal with Sasha doesn't it?"

The President didn't answer, he just stared ahead as a Ranger walked up to him. "Do you want us to show  
him sir?" he asked as he came to a stop in front of the two.

Again the Galactic President said nothing, he just nodded, Then he promptly turned around and left the room.  
Ratchet started after him, then turned back towards the Ranger. "You know what's going on with him?"  
Ratchet asked as he nodded back over at the departing President.

The Ranger looked at him "I have a hunch, But I'll keep it to myself for now" The Ranger walked over to a  
empty console. Ratchet came up behind him as he stopped and started pressing buttons. "We got this a few  
hours ago." The Ranger looked down at him "I got to warn you Sarge, It's pretty bad" Ratchet stared up at the  
vid-screen pondering those ominous words.

First there was just black, then Dreks voice sounded "Greetings Galactic President, You may or may not know me  
so allow me to introduce myself" Drek walked into view "I used to be known as Supreme Executive Chairmen Drek.  
But you may just call my Drek for now, thanks to a a certain lombax in your employ under the Galactic Guard." Drek  
had been pacing through out this "Now I'm sure by now that you know I am talking about Ratchet. You may also  
be wondering what he has to do with you?"

Drek clapped his hands together "It's simple really. You have something I want, and I have something you want.  
You see during my plotting I found out that Ratchet had a thing for a young commander of your Galactic Guard."  
Ratchet clenched his hands together and a low growl escaped him. "So here isthe bottom line, You, give me Ratchet,  
and I..." Drek trailed off and gestured to the dark behind him. "Will give you your daughter back"

Ratchet gasped as the darkness lit up, He felt as if his heart was about to burst. "No..." Ratchet reached towards  
the screen. Sasha was hanging limply off the ground her arms held up to a wall behind her with energy binders.  
Her head band was gone and her hair was hanging down over her face. There were rips and tears in her suit,  
and what little Ratchet could see of her face made it look like she had been crying. there were multiple cuts  
on her face from some type of knife.

Drek was standing in the corner still talking "As you can see we have her, and rest assured she is alive. My partner will  
attest to that." Drek gestured off screen and Nefarious poked his head into view. He leaned towards Sasha holding  
out his arm. In his hand he held a syringe. He jabbed it into her neck and Ratchet flinched at the same time Sasha did.

Nefarious removed the syringe and retreated off the screen. Sasha began to twitch, suddenly she lifted her head up  
and screamed towards the celling. Ratchet took a step back from the screen. Sasha stopped screaming and lowered  
her head, she was crying and moaning deep in her throat, she started shaking and struggling against the bonds.  
Ratchet felt his own eyes wet, what came next was worst of all. She opened her mouth again, but instead of  
screaming she spoke.

"Please.....Let it end..." she lowered her head again, her body still shaking. "Ratchet, Dad, Somebody.....Help....."  
These words tore at Ratchet the most. Hearing his love pleading for his help and not being able to give it....It was  
too much like his nightmares.

Drek walked towards the middle of the screen again. "Now my partner just injected her with an experimental drug,  
designed to cause every single nerve in her body to feel like its been coated in fire. Now nobody has survived twelve  
of these shots. Your daughter has had seven." Drek let that hang in the air, Ratchet was sobbing freely at this point.  
The lights dimmed and Sasha was lost to darkness again. "Now you see that she is alive, and well" He chuckled "But  
that will change, She will get a new injection every eight hours. If you want us to stop you will order Ratchet to the  
location attached to this message." The camera focused on Drek "You have forty hours till the last shot, I suggest  
you hurry" The screen went blank and Ratchet collapsed to the floor sobbing.

_"NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPINING" _ He screamed inside his mind. It was like his nightmares all over again. But this time he  
knew it was real. Ratchet shook on the floor for a moment before he got control. He wiped his eyes dry and stood up. _  
"There will be time to cry later, Right now I got to help her" _ "How long ago was this delivered?"

the Ranger looked down at him "Three hours ago"

Ratchet turned around and headed for the exit "Thirty-Seven hours, Better get moving" Ratchet took off tearing down  
the hall heading for the elevator.

The Galactic President was standing in front of it. Ratchet stopped in front of him "You're going right?" he asked

Ratchet nodded "I have no choice, It's the only way to save her"

The President looked down at him "Ratchet, I want you to do whatever it takes to save her"

Ratchet nodded again "Of course, Drek thought he was getting leverage by kidnapping Sasha." Ratchet clenched his fist  
and slammed it into the elevator call button, breaking the case again. "He was wrong, He just made the biggest mistake  
of his life."

The Galactic President was watching Ratchet "Ratchet" He put his hand on Ratchets shoulder. "After you save Sasha, I  
want you to kill those bastards. I want you to make them pay for this" Ratchet looked up at the Galactic President in  
shock. Being given an out right order to kill was surprising to him. Even more surprising then hearing the Galactic President  
swear "Will you do that Ratchet? Will you end their life and make sure they never do this again?"

Ratchet hesitated, then he nodded

"Yes, Sir"

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_**AfterNote: As of this submitting of this chapter, the final chapter is uploaded onto my FFnet account here and  
just needs to be gone over. Also word of advice, I hate when people leave the final of a story in a bunch  
of bits so this is one big chapter (for me at least) so just be ready for a read.**_


	19. Waking Up

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_Unknown

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_

Sasha lifted her head off her chest as she came to. _"My whole body hurts, What was in those injections they have been giving me?" _Sasha knew what they wanted; they wanted Ratchet and a way to lure him to his death.

What better way then to get his girlfriend to call him? All though she thought they might have been guessing, She did have a way to contact Ratchet, but she didn't dare use it. The thought of calling her boyfriend to his death was appalling to her.

Sasha looked around again. Ever since they had brought her here she had been trying to figure out where 'here' was. Unfortunately, her captors were smarter then they appeared, and so kept any window leading outside sealed, and made sure to talk about anything regarding about location was done in hushed tones outside. Even with her advanced hearing she could not tell what was being said.

The door swung up and Sasha looked over to see Drek walk in, she growled deep in her throat. But instead of having the effect of scaring him, as she had hoped. Drek just laughed at her.

"Growl all you want" he sneered at her after he was done mocking her. "You're performance has guaranteed that Ratchet will come running" Sasha stopped growling and looked shocked.

"Performance?" She asked fearing the answer. Drek saw the fear in her eyes and instead of not telling her anything decided it would hurt her more to see it.

"Oh that's right. You were a little out of it when we shot the video. But rest assured you performed greatly." Sasha's eyes twitched as she tried to cover her irritation at this Blarg. _"He's teasing me!" _She thought in anger. _"He knows that I have no clue what my 'Performance' was and he's teasing me by only telling me a bit at a time"_

Sasha looked at Drek and growled again. He shook his head at her. "My, my, you're an impatient one" He sighed as he pulled a remote out of his pocket. "Very well, Here you go"

He aimed the remote into one of the darkened corners of the room that she couldn't see through. The corner lit up as a Vid-Screen came to life. Sasha gasped at the image there,  
understanding immediately what Drek meant by 'Performance'. Sasha watched as she had been injected _"Again, What was that, the sixth or seventh time?" _She could only imagine the pain Ratchet must have been feeling when he saw this video. As the Drek in video contiued to talk she heard only a few things

"Seven, nobody has survived twelve" Sasha looked down at the Blarg watching her. She sighed "How long since this video?" she asked

Drek smiled as Nefarious walked in. "It's been about eight hours" Sasha stared at Nefarious in fear as he walked closer with the syringe. She felt the prick in her neck and knew nothing but pain and darkness.

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_Ratchet's Star fighter, In route to Asteroid Belt Z054

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_

Ratchet was leaned back in his pilot seat trying to get some rest, Clank was driving the ship and other wise ignoring his friend. Ratchet opened his eyes again as his restless mind once again injected the image of Sasha hung from the wall and screaming.

"Clank?" Ratchet heard his friend move about in his seat, he knew what was coming. "Yes Ratchet?"

Ratchet paused for a moment "How long?"

Ratchet thought he heard his metallic friend sigh. "Only nine hours have passed Ratchet"

_"Another injection" _thought Ratchet _"What must she be going through?" _He shuddered again and rolled onto his side as the video played again in his mind. Ratchet knew the best thing for him to help Sasha right now was to get some sleep, but he couldn't stand the images when he closed his eyes. Finally after what seemed like hours he drifted into a fitful sleep, occasionally whining when another image of Sasha floated through his brain.

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_Asteroid Belt Z054, 16 hours after message sending

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_

Sasha was staring in fear again at Nefarious as he walked forewords with another syringe; she had just barely recovered from the last one. She was out of breath from the experience and she huffed and moaned a little with each inhale. Her lungs still felt like they were on fire.

"Please....." She huffed out in between the twinges of pain."I....can't....take....any...more" she managed to puff.

Nefarious just smiled at her as he aimed the needle at her neck "Then you better hope Ratchet arrives in the next few moments."

A sonic boom chose that moment to echo through their small room. Nefarious stopped and looked at Drek "Did he?" Drek was stunned for a moment.

He snapped out of it as Sasha smiled. "GO" he shouted pointing at the door "YOU NEED TO BE READY, IT WONT TAKE HIM LONG TO KILL THE GUARDS" Drek was almost foaming at the mouth in fury. Ratchet should not have gotten here so quickly.

Sasha knew what happened of course, Ratchets Gravametric Warp Drive. She looked down at Drek's back and summoned as much of her will as possible so she could get out there next few words in a strong voice. "Ratchet is going to kick your ass." Under other circumstances, Sasha would never have said something like this, but what she had gone through had caused her to develop a hate for this Blarg in front of her. Not just any hate either. A deep searing loathing that emanated from every pore, every fibre of her being. Right now all she wanted was to see him suffer. Drek stopped as he turned towards the door.

This was it, the last straw, If Ratchet was here already...

....Well...

Drek stopped and turned around to stare at Sasha. Sasha realized she had just made a mistake, His back had only been turned to her for a few moments. But he had changed, she could see it in his eyes. All signs of reason were gone from him. She then knew that he was going to kill her, and enjoy it...

Nefarious ran down the hall as an explosion shook the building they were in. He braced himself against the wall and kept running. He had to reach the hanger if they had any chance of stopping Ratchet. The guards would only slow him down, they knew that when they built them.

But they also had exepected more time to prepare.

Nefarious glanced out a window as he ran by at the carnage below, The sight only made he move faster, He remembered what the Lombax could do, and he had heard that he had gotten stronger.

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Asteroid Belt Z054, 15 hours 55 minuets after message sending

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_

Ratchet had shot up in his seat when Clank told them they were close, He quickly took over controls again. _"This is it" _He thought _"Time to end those two....for good" _Ratchet unstrapped himself from his seat and told Clank to attach himself to his back.

Clank looked over at him surprised "But....why?"

Ratchet didn't break eye contact with his target. "Just do it, Clank." As soon as Clank had secured himself to his back Ratchet arced to the side of the small asteroid where Sasha was and as soon as he got even with the landing point to his side snapped his fighter to the left while engaging his Gravametric warp drive and opening the canopy. As the Star fighter increased its speed for the jump Ratchet heard Clank over the growing wind

"Uh....Ratchet?" Ratchet didn't answer as he jumped over the star fighter edge heading towards the ground at remarkable speeds. He had timed  
the jump so that the Gravametric Warp would pull him along.

Ratchet hit the ground speeding towards the door at nearly a twenty miles an hour his grind boots leaving a spark trail behind him. He was quickly approaching one of the combat droids. Ratchet took out his Omni-wrench spinning it around before raising it like a bat.

"DEFLET THIS" He shouted as he skidded towards the droid. He swung the wrench with all his might at the middle of the droid, punching through the armour like it was tissue paper. Ratchet left his wrench in the droid so he wouldn't get his arms ripped off from the sudden declaration. He wasn't quick enough however, his arms felt the strain before he slowed down even more and he stopped in front of the rest of droids instead of blowing past them.

Ratchet and the eight combat droids stared at each other for a bit, then knowing his other weapons weren't very effective Ratchet summoned his Leviathan Flail and charged forwards as the droids opened fire. Ratchet jumped over the first volley of shots spinning in the air to bring his Flail down on one of the droids with a crash that shook the asteroid.

He ran to the left spinning around to fling his Flail into another droid, sending it flying off into space.

The droids actually hitched in their fire for a moment, they were stunned that this little figure in front of them had just taken out two of them. But, their hitch was to be their downfall. Ratchet swung the Flail around in a giant circle sending three more droids off into space. Now the droids were firing frantically, they had not been programmed with fear. But after the battle on the Phoenix, and how easy that was to win with their armour they had thought themselves unbeatable.

Ratchet advanced towards the last three, dodging their shots easily. He jumped into the air again being the Flail down into the middle of the group and sending them flying in different directions.

Two more skidded off the edge of the asteroid and off into space, while Ratchet used the time to jump and pound the last one into the ground. Ratchet didn't cease the pounding until all he saw was but cracked armour, sparking wires, and smoking pieces. Ratchet turned towards the large door that was securing the building in front of him.

Nefarious has just gotten ready when Drek walked in, a limp Sasha being dragged between the last two combat droids on the asteroid. Nefarious turned around to look at him, Drek was looking into the medium sized hanger where Drek and Nefarious would defeat Ratchet. Drek pointed at a point on the wall up near the ceiling.

The droids ran forewords, towards an elevator. When they reached the spot he had pointed to they bound Sasha there with energy cuffs. They then split up one heading further down the walk he was on to the wall and the other along the other way. They stopped uphigh on either side of the door.

Nefarious choose this moment to speak. "You're sure?" Drek nodded as Nefarious stepped onto the orange glowing plate. The plate hummed as sparks began to surround Nefarious. He cackled as he watched several of his limbs grow bigger. Drek walked up behind the platform and rode an  
elevator to the top where he waited for Nefarious to finish his transformation. When he was done Drek walked foreword and grabbed two metal  
handles that were poking out of the back of the new Nefarious. Drek pulled himself up and pressed a button in front of him that said "Cloak"

No sooner did they disappear then several large dents appeared in the door accompanied by loud 'thooms'. Two hits later, the doors flew into the hanger Ratchet's Leviathan Flail trailing after them on its chain. As the flail was reeled back in, the commando droids aimed their guns down at the doorway. Ratchet stood just outside their view all senses alert.

One of the droids moved to get a better view, his foot made a small clang on the metal floor below him.

Before the droid had realized what he had done Ratchet had drawn his new Splitter Rifle and dived through the door and sunk 4 shots with unnerving accuracy into the same spot on the droids chest, the third shot punching through the armour and the fourth just for spite.

Ratchet hit the ground in a shoulder roll the other droid opening fire at him. Ratchet completed his roll and raised the Splitter Rifle again losing three shots at the droid. Two hit sending it back into the wall but not killing it.

Ratchet muttered at the stubbornness of the droid as he drew his Flux Rifle. He had heard that it was twice as powerful as the Splitter Rifle, time to find out. As the droid stood up Ratchet raised the Flux Rifle centred it on the droids head and pulled the trigger. Ratchet hardly felt the kick as the beam sliced through the droid and the wall behind him. Ratchet lowered the gun and stared out through the hole in the wall.

As he sent his weapon away he looked around the room, spotting Sasha, Ratchet gasped and ran towards the elevator. Ratchet had just gotten in front of the elevator when he noticed the giant pad sitting next to it. Ratchet turned to the side to allow Clank to see it "Clank is that...." Ratchet trailed off as he heard Clank's eyes focus on the pad as they began a scan.

"Yes, I don't know how, But it is indeed one of the-"

Clank was interrupted as a giant blue fist appeared in front of Ratchet sending him flying into the far wall. Ratchet hit the wall embedding himself half way into the steel. He felt the nanites in his emergency nano-pack activate to keep him alive. Ratchet blinked as Nefarious fizzed into view after his fist.

Ratchet moved weakly, still woozy from that fist. He tumbled out of his dent in the wall and looked up at Nefarious. At least he thought it was Nefarious.

Nefarious now stood a terrifying, eight stories high, His blue colouring had gotten a little darker and his red eyes now glowed a deep dark pulsing black. Ratchet just sat and stared at him in awe. Nefarious said nothing as he raised his foot to smash Ratchet  
into the ground. Ratchet flinched when it started to lower.

"Wait" The foot stopped and Ratchet peeked around the foot to see Drek climb up over Nefarious' shoulder. "I want to see this" Drek nodded and Nefarious continued to lower his foot towards Ratchet.

Who, for some reason found himself immobilized. Clank wasn't though, he activated his thruster pack and Ratchet skidded out from under Nefarious' foot right before it smashed into the ground. The shock wave from the foot released Ratchet from his daze. He jumped up and ran towards the elevator, he knew that if he was down on the ground he wasn't a threat. If he could get to face level though, things would change.

Ratchet rolled to the side as Nefarious' fist pounded into the ground where he had just been. Ratchet saw out of the corner of his eye Nefarious raise his foot again, quickly activating his charge boots he just barely got clear as the foot smashed into the ground behind him. The shock wave hit him again and sent him tumbling onto the elevator which started to rise as Ratchet slammed into the switch.

Ratchet stood up ready to start jumping if required. But to his surprise Nefarious and Drek just watched him as the elevator rose up to the gantry that was just shy of Nefarious' head. The elevator thudded to a stop at the top and Ratchet walked off.

No sooner had he done that, Nefarious lashed out with his fist, smashing the elevator shaft and causing the elevator at the top to fall crashing to the bottom. Ratchet turned around as he heard the elevator shriek down to its thundering crash below. As he turned Nefarious raised both his hands and smashed the gantry on the corners on either side of the hanger.

The gantry under Ratchet shook and flung him into the air as Nefarious proceeded to rip down the gantry running along the other walls. Ratchet grabbed a side of the gantry as he fell past. The gantry shook but held and Ratchet hauled himself up. Looking to his left and right he saw that Nefarious had efficiently reduced his running area to a small path way two-hundred meters long. Ratchet looked up towards Drek, as he laughed.

"I love it when a plan comes together." He said as he slapped his hands together.

Ratchet scoffed "What, four years in space wasn't enough time to come up with a new saying?"

Drek scowled at him. "Laugh while you can Ratchet. Nefarious here is going to toy with you a bit before he kills you." Ratchet narrowed his eyes at Drek and drew back his arm. Drek's eyes went wide and he ducked behind Nefarious' head as Ratchet summoned his Leviathan Flail on the back swing and swung it fore ward sending it sailing towards Drek. Drek got behind Nefarious' neck before he was splattered by the Flail, but he still caught one of its spikes.

Drek felt a hot burning trough get ripped across his back, heard his clothes ripping, and felt a tingling sensation as the nanites in his body went to work moments later. He hissed and arched his back at the brief pain. Ratchet tugged his Flail back towards him as Drek walked back around to him.

As Ratchet raised his arm again Drek spoke "I wouldn't, If I were you at any rate."

Ratchet paused and stared at him "....why?..."

Drek shrugged his shoulders and straightened his tie. "Because" he said as he reached into his suit and drew out a syringe "I have the only thing that can save Sasha." Ratchet lowered the Flail. Drek laughed again. "That's right, when we heard your ship enter I realized that our plan to kill you AND Sasha had fallen apart."

Ratchet growled. "So you planned on killing her all along!" He shouted at them.

Drek nodded "Of course. What better way to knock you off your game then to kill the one you love?" Drek sighed "Unfortunately since you got here so early poor Sasha hasn't had time to recover from her previous shots before I gave her the last four." He glanced over at Sasha hanging from the binders. "I'm afraid her system couldn't take it." he tsk'd.

"Her body has shut down and if she doesn't get the antidote within the next ten minutes she will die" Drek raised his face and stared at Ratchet as he clenched his fist and growled. Then to really twist the knife some more Drek said "Even then she may not survive" He laughed at him. "Say good bye to your love Ratchet. You've already lost her" Ratchet screamed at them as Nefarious raised his hands to smash the rest of the gantry.

As Nefarious started to bring his hands down Ratchet felt something snap inside him from all his grief, and all his rage. Time seemed to slow down as Ratchet shook. He flexed his arms as he stared at Drek and before Nefarious smashed him he darted to the left and jumped onto the railing of the gantry. Nefarious' hands smashed through the spot he had just been and Ratchet back flipped off the railing as the shock wave from Nefarious smashing the gantry  
rolled under him, Flinging him into the air. Ratchet spread his arms out and landed on Nefarious' arm. Nefarious glanced down at him surprised. He raised his other arm to smash Ratchet. But Ratchet was already gone, Darting up  
Nefarious' arm with a speed that was unmatched by any normal creature.

Time still seemed to move slow for Ratchet as he bounded up Nefarious' arm on all fours. He reached his shoulder as Nefarious was still slapping at the spot he had been on. He grabbed the edge of Nefarious' shoulder and jumped up.

Drek turned to face him, horror plastered on his face. Ratchet crouched down on all fours and roared at him. He sprung foreword corkscrewing through the air hitting Drek as he reached into his coat, sending them both off of Nefarious.

Drek was stunned at this. _"He moves so fast!" _he thought to himself. Ratchet took Drek's stunned moment and reached into his coat and grabbed the antidote. Putting the vial sideways in his mouth Ratchet turned around and coiled his muscles in his legs. With another roar he launched himself off Drek as he slammed into the wall behind him.

Ratchet flew up and landed on Nefarious shoulder as he turned to find Drek. He dodged another of Nefarious' fists and darted over the edge of his shoulder and down under his armour.

Nefarious looked at his shoulder plate as sparks fizzled from underneath. Suddenly his arm fell out of its socket and crashed into the ground shattering into its separate parts. Nefarious stared down at his broken arm. He turned his head as he saw the sparks from under his armour move towards his other shoulder. He couldn't believe this was happening; the  
Lombax was taking him apart from the inside out.

Ratchet pulled another cable out its socket from under Nefarious' shoulder. A red haze had drifted over his vision and he couldn't remember how he had ended up inside Nefarious. Only that he wanted to cause as much damage as possible. He darted around to another cable and ripped that one out to. He saw the joint spark and then fall and Ratchet moved on towards his head. Nefarious glanced over at his other arm as it fell. He saw the sparks travel towards his neck and knew that Ratchet was heading for his head.

Sure enough he saw some more lights spark out of the corner of his eyes and his vision went fuzzy then black. Nefarious started to stumbled around the room as Ratchet continued to destroy anything he could get his hands on inside his head.

Ratchet had just pulled out three cables when he felt Nefarious shake and his head started to slant to the left, Ratchet darted back down towards the neck and hopped out of Nefarious' head as it fell off his body and smashed into the floor, his glass top broke and smashed into a thousand pieces, and his eyes stopped pulsing and just stayed dark.

Ratchet felt wind ruffle his exposed fur as Nefarious' body began to mimic his head, Ratchet darted to the shoulder and jumped to one of the few places the gantry still was attached to the celling, under Sasha.

As Ratchet stood up straight his vision cleared and he shook his head. He took the vial out of his mouth staring at it and wondering how it got there.

Then he realized it was the antidote and he was standing next to Sasha. Ratchet quickly grabbed the energy cuffs and deactivated them, grabbing and holding Sasha as she fell. He set her down gently on the floor and injected her in the neck with the antidote. Sasha didn't move for a long time and Ratchet was worried that he was too late.

Then suddenly she gasped and arched her back. Taking in huge gasps of air Sasha's eyes bounced around in their sockets unable to focus on anything.

Ratchet shook her gently "Sash? Sash can you hear me?" Sasha blinked many times before she was able to focus on Ratchet.

She lifted her hand up to cup his face "...Ra...t?" she murmured. Suddenly she pulled his face down and kissed him. Ratchet eyes went wide for a sec before he closed them and kissed back.

Sasha broke the kiss and smiled. "Next time, don't take so long. Okay hotshot?" He chuckled as he helped her stand up.

She wobbled a bit and grabbed the the railing to steady herself. "Uh...Rat?"

He looked over at her, "Huh?"

She pointed down at the floor eight stories below them. "How are we supposed to get down?"

Ratchet looked down at the ground then back at Sasha dumbfounded. "I don't know. I don't even know how I got up here."

Sasha suddenly gasped "Rat, look!" she said pointing, Ratchet looked down to see Drek stumbled into their view, holding a Devastator. Ratchet's eyes widened as he pulled his Flux Rifle and aimed down at him.

He saw Drek start to pull the trigger and Ratchet aimed at the Devastator pulling the trigger as the rocket sped out of the tube. The rounds intercepted each other right in front of Drek. The resulting explosion destroyed his Devastator and flung him into the crater Nefarious  
made when his head smashed into the ground.

Ratchet turned to face Sasha "Will you be okay up here for a bit?" he asked. When she nodded he back flipped over the edge and Clank fired his thrusters so that he came to a gentle landing. He ran over to the crater as Drek was pulling his bruised, battered, and now scorched body over the edge. Ratchet walked up to him his eyes devoid of all emotion. Drek looked up in fear as Ratchet walked behind him and grasped either side of his head with his hands.

"Please...." He begged "I'm sorry. Don't do this"

Ratchet grunted. "I'm sorry too." He twisted his hands suddenly and heard a loud snap as he broke Drek's neck.

Ratchet stepped away from Drek's limp form as it flopped to the side. He looked out the hanger doors to see a Galactic Ranger drop ship landing. He waved the Rangers that hopped out of it over to him.

Pointing up at Sasha he shouted "Get her down, now!" the Rangers with thrusters in their boots activated them and helped Sasha down to the ground. Ratchet walked up and hugged her. Holding hands they walked back towards the drop ship with Rangers on either side staring at the destruction Ratchet had let lose inside the hanger.

One of the Rangers stopped them and asked "Sir, are either of them-"

Ratchet shook his head "No, and let somebody else deal with it. We're leaving" He and Sasha continued towards the drop ship and they walked up and sat down as a Ranger bent down to examine Drek.

"Sir"' it spoke up "His neck is snapped" The Ranger looked back at the drop ship.

_"He must have been pretty pissed" _he thought to himself. "Forgot about it, Like the Sarge said, Let the other squads deal with it. We're packing up" The Rangers piled onto the drop ship and it took off bound for Marcadia.

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_Marcadia, Presidential Compound, 18 hours later

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_

Ratchet and Sasha both stood at attention before the Galactic President. Although Sasha, was a bit to the right as a doctor was tending to her wounds.

The President looked down at Ratchet. "He fell you say, and that's how he broke his neck?"

Ratchet nodded again. The Galactic president looked down at the Report the Rangers had given him. He deleted the part about the Rangers suspicions that Ratchet had killed Drek.

"And Nefarious?"

Ratchet looked at him "He tried to make himself bigger but it failed and he fell apart"

The President nodded, Deleting another part of the Rangers report. "Very well" he nodded then held out his hand "Son, I thank you for the lengths you went through to get Sasha back to us"

Ratchet grabbed it and shaked it. "Gladly Sir, It's what any solider would have done." The president looked at Ratchet oddly "Sir?" he asked

The president waved his hand "It's nothing. But I think you deserve more then a handshake and medal, Take some time off." He turned around to look at Sasha "And you've been through quite the ordeal, You take some time off as well." Sasha and Ratchet looked at each other surprised.

They saluted and Sasha cringed when it sent trails of pain along her spine. "Thank you sir." They turned around and headed for the door.

"One last thing before you go" The looked back over at him. He held up three fingers. "Three weeks, then I want you back for another mission." they nodded

Ratchet spoke up "What type of mission sir?"

"Just a little scouting mission. Another planet has been put up for acceptance into the Galactic Senate and we  
need to send a scouting party out to make sure that they are acceptable"

Ratchet nodded again "What planet?"

The president looked down at the board he still held "Planet K4852, but the locals who live there call it Earth"

They nodded together and walked outside.

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	20. 12 Years Later

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12 Years Later

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General Dai Tan stood out staring over the burning field in front of him. He sighed as he watched another of his men gunned down by more of those weird green robots.

_"It's like we don't even exist. They just stomp right over us. Most of my men gunned down before they even get the chance to raise their guns." _Tan took out a pair of binoculars and stared through them at the short cat looking robot that was decimating his men with some type of medieval looking flail. He sighed again and turned back to his tent. He walked in and sat down behind his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a small pistol. He loaded it and waited.

Sure enough before long he heard a small scuffle outside and two echoing shots with small thuds that indicated his guards death. Tan watched the tent flap and was not surprised when the cat robot pushed aside the tent flap and walked in flanked by two of the green robots. Tan half heartedly raised his pistol and it quickly was knocked out of his hand by one of the robots. The cat robot waved his hand and the two green robots flanking him turned around and left. To Tans surprised the cat robot spoke.

"You're General Dai Tan, correct?" It spoke in a heavily male accent. Tan nodded as he regarded the cat robot with new interest. It stood about just under six feet tall and was holding a small gun in it's hand. it's tail twitched back and forth as it walked closer to the desk.

"So you would be the General in charge of space defense as well, correct?" Tan nodded again. The robot suddenly leaned fore ward and grabbed the edge of the desk throwing it through the side of the tent. It reached fore ward and pulled Tan out of his chair throwing him to the ground and putting a heavy boot on his chest. Tan grunted as he felt the robot start to push the air out of his lungs. He focused on the robot again as it lifted a hand to its head. It reached under towards its neck joint and Tan heard a small hiss as a valve was twisted underneath. The robot lifted off its head and Tan realized that it wasn't a robot. But an actual cat looking creature. His fur was a golden yellow with brown stripes running along his ears, which were laid down on his head in anger. He stared at Tan with emerald green eyes devoid of all emotion. That was a lie actually Tan though as he focused on them again. All that seemed to flow through them was anger and pain. he spoke again

"Then you better know the answer to my next question, and you better answer me quickly." He said as he put more pressure on his chest and aimed his odd looking gun at Tans face.

"Three months ago your Earth Space Fleet attacked and destroyed a diplomatic ship known as the _Phoenix_." Tan tried to speak. The creature put more pressure on his chest.

"Shut up, I'm not done yet." The creature growled at him. "I want to know if you saw any craft of any sort leave the ship before you destroyed it. Specifically an ocean blue one." Tan thought for a moment.

"If we did" he started "It would have been shot down as soon as we got a lock on it" Tan looked back into the creatures eyes. "I know what craft your talking about now. I remember it. We got a brief transmission asking for a cease fire before I ordered it destroyed." The cat creatures eyes went wide and he looked away from Tan. Tan didn't know if he was imaging it or not but it looked as if the creature was crying the fur around his eyes looked moist at any rate. But when the creature looked back down at him the was no sadness in his eyes. Just a burning anger that looked like it could never be tamed. The creature spoke up again

"Listen, and listen well you piece of shit." he growled. "The ship you destroyed was the _Phoenix. _and the ship that you shot down? It was flown by its Captain. She was on a diplomatic mission here to find out why your president hadn't contacted us recently." Tan study the creature some more.

"So?" The creature blinked and looked away from Tan. He looked back at Tan and tears were running down his face. Though there was no sadness in his eyes when Tan looked into them, Just anger.

"She was my wife" the creature said with a voice filled with rage. Tan didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry?" he said confused. The creature blinked again before he pushed his gun into Tans face, it's barrel glowing a dark orange.

"SHE WAS PREGNANT" He roared into Tans face. He pulled the trigger repeatedly until the gun clicked empty and Tans upper body was a disfigured and bloody mess. The creature took his foot off Tans dead body before he kicked it to the side.

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Ratchet walked out of the command tent with red rimmed eyes. He handed his empty lancer to one of the Rangers on the side.

"You okay sir?" The Ranger asked, Ratchet ignored them and kept walking till he reached a jagged cliff the soared up over the battlefield. Casting long shadows over the bloody field. Ratchet leaned up against the cliff and finally let the tears flow. His shoulder shaking with sobs Ratchet slowly lowered until he was sitting in the dirt.

"Sasha...." he moaned "....No..." Ratchet leaned against the cliff and cried until the sun set on the bloody field that Ratchet had been fighting on for most of the day. He stood up suddenly and punched the cliff wall behind him. Cracking it and embedding his fist into the stone. Thanks to his carbonx armor he didn't feel a thing which for some reason made him more angry.

_"I'll make them pay. I SWEAR IT" _He roared his pain and frustration into the sky. He cursed the day he and Sasha ever came to this backwater planet. He cursed the day they let Slade and Zen onto the _Phoenix_. But most of all, He cursed himself for not being there to help. A memory flowed unbidden into his mind, an ecstatic Sasha had called him from a hospital on Marcaidia.

_"Ratchet you're going to be a dad"_ she had said before he even had a chance to say hello. He had been stunned at the news and had almost canceled the mission he had been on to rush back to Marcadia. They instantly began to plan on where they would settle down. _Veldin _they had decided, after all Ratchet had land there. The briefing for the diplomatic mission before this....this....War....Started floated through his mind.

_"That was to be her last mission before going back to Veldin to relax and wait" _Ratchet's breath hitched as he felt the tears coming again. He pulled his fist out of the rock and fell to his knees. His sadness over his lost wife and unborn child overtaking him again he began to sob. His tears flowing freely to be soaked up by the uncaring ground. His crys echoed through the quite night heard only by the Rangers that stood guard over him as he sobbed himself to sleep.

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_**Whew, thats it. its done, right?.....[looks above]......or maybe not....Oh well, Time will tell :P  
**_

_**Thanks to the following-**_

_**TJay Drag- For beta-reading and putting up with my shit.**_

_**Dudeman858- My real life friend who convinced me to type this out and submit it.**_

_**Insomniac Games- For making such a bad ass game series**_

_**You- For putting up with this story and reading to the end**_

_**Hope you enjoyed reading my story. This is Emile Signing out**_


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